Team for France

[twitchy]

Can you imagine watching that game and thinking this?

[Hooky]

That elbow could've knocked Moriarty out. It was assault. Nasty. I feel for the rest of the french team be aus they were far better than us

[Renniks]

That elbow could've knocked Moriarty out. It was assault. Nasty. I feel for the rest of the french team be aus they were far better than us

Wainwright** --- but agreed, it was a cheap shot and if it had been the point of the elbow to the face, he'd have been fecked

Moriarty was the one who was lucky to come back on the pitch after his high tackle

[hugh_woatmeigh]

That elbow could've knocked Moriarty out. It was assault. Nasty. I feel for the rest of the french team be aus they were far better than us

For someone who doesn't know what player was struck you seem quite knowledgeable about the potential consequences...

Agree with this anyway.

[MrK]

Hope Navidi and Davies are fit . No cutting edge in the backs without Davies .

I’d drop north

[Lizard]

North made a couple of quite poor decisions under pressure.

[bruce]

With Navidi potentially out, I'd bring Cubby straight into the team. Moriarty worries me.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Jesus. I have calmed down now. That was dreadful. But it was enough.

We made so many mistakes. And they carried so much more powerfully than we did. Even with an extra man we struggled to get the ball anywhere near to scoring. And when we did... If I had been the TMO (and not Welsh) I think I would have said Tomos's rip to Tipuric went forward. But WTF I'm just happy to get the benefit of the doubt for once.

Gotta say though, Moriarty's card was a yellow at most - it started on the chest, and the player sank into it. Plenty of mitigation.

I would have liked to have seen Patchell on, but we had so little ball it might not have made a great difference.

Hopefully we've got our one shite performance out of the way. Onwards and upwards.

[normanski]

A win is a win but we looked so far off the pace at times it wasn’t true. France were really good and back to their beneficial version of the side that turns up.

I can understand Francoisfou’s confidence this week

Perhaps the two week break helped them more than our ten days.

Got to get Davies back for stability and power.

[Hooky]

That elbow could've knocked Moriarty out. It was assault. Nasty. I feel for the rest of the french team be aus they were far better than us

Wainwright** --- but agreed, it was a cheap shot and if it had been the point of the elbow to the face, he'd have been fecked

Moriarty was the one who was lucky to come back on the pitch after his high tackle

Quite right, my bad

[Sandydragon]

We need to sort out our recycling as well. France over competed but our attacking ball was crap.

And then we just kicked the ball away aimlessly.

On the plus side, you can’t fault our resilience and I fancy that France side to have scored against anyone in the first half.

[normanski]

South Africa building the lead. I fancy playing them rather than Japan. If SA win we will have the whole of the host country backing Wales.

Mind a draw at eighty minutes would also help.

[MrK]

North made a couple of quite poor decisions under pressure.

Hes been living on past reputation for a while.

If Amos hadnt had such a shocker Id have been tempted to bring him in for the next game.... Wish Lane was out there now.

The Biggar, Parkes, Watkins triumvarate offer nothing in attack - we despertaly need Davies back.

Whilst I buy into the whole Biggar is a warrior ethos (much more than say Farrel for England), i Just cant see us creating anything with him at 10.

Wales play our best rugby with Anscombe at 10, and then Biggar coming on.

Its a massive risk, but Id start with Patchell. You only get one chance to get to a WC Final.

[Son of Mathonwy]

North made a couple of quite poor decisions under pressure.

Hes been living on past reputation for a while.

If Amos hadnt had such a shocker Id have been tempted to bring him in for the next game.... Wish Lane was out there now.

The Biggar, Parkes, Watkins triumvarate offer nothing in attack - we despertaly need Davies back.

Whilst I buy into the whole Biggar is a warrior ethos (much more than say Farrel for England), i Just cant see us creating anything with him at 10.

Wales play our best rugby with Anscombe at 10, and then Biggar coming on.

Its a massive risk, but Id start with Patchell. You only get one chance to get to a WC Final.

I'd start Patchell too, but it's pointless even thinking of this happening under Gatland unless Biggar is injured.

Other than this there's not much that can be usefully changed. Wish we had Scott Williams instead of Watkin.

Just hope that Foxy's back next week. It shouldn't be this way but we really struggle without him.

[francoisfou]

A win is a win but we looked so far off the pace at times it wasn’t true. France were really good and back to their beneficial version of the side that turns up.

I can understand Francoisfou’s confidence this week

Perhaps the two week break helped them more than our ten days.

Got to get Davies back for stability and power.

Yes, I had a hunch they’d come good and could and should have won if it wasn’t for that moment of crass indiscipline from that tw@t Vahaamahina and the post at Ntamack’s conversion attempts. As far as the future is concerned, head coach Jacques Brunel will step down to be replaced by Fabien Galthié with Raphaël Ibañez as team manager. An improvement? We’ll see in the next 6Nations, but the long term objective will be the next World Cup here in France.

[normanski]

A win is a win but we looked so far off the pace at times it wasn’t true. France were really good and back to their beneficial version of the side that turns up.

I can understand Francoisfou’s confidence this week

Perhaps the two week break helped them more than our ten days.

Got to get Davies back for stability and power.

Yes, I had a hunch they’d come good and could and should have won if it wasn’t for that moment of crass indiscipline from that tw@t Vahaamahina and the post at Ntamack’s conversion attempts. As far as the future is concerned, head coach Jacques Brunel will step down to be replaced by Fabien Galthié with Raphaël Ibañez as team manager. An improvement? We’ll see in the next 6Nations, but the long term objective will be the next World Cup here in France.

Perhaps adding Shaun Edwards will be the catalyst for great things in the year ahead.

He’s certainly added steel and discipline to Wales for twelve years.

[Sandydragon]

A win is a win but we looked so far off the pace at times it wasn’t true. France were really good and back to their beneficial version of the side that turns up.

I can understand Francoisfou’s confidence this week

Perhaps the two week break helped them more than our ten days.

Got to get Davies back for stability and power.

Yes, I had a hunch they’d come good and could and should have won if it wasn’t for that moment of crass indiscipline from that tw@t Vahaamahina and the post at Ntamack’s conversion attempts. As far as the future is concerned, head coach Jacques Brunel will step down to be replaced by Fabien Galthié with Raphaël Ibañez as team manager. An improvement? We’ll see in the next 6Nations, but the long term objective will be the next World Cup here in France.

To be fair, you have a lot to be confident about. I truely think that France would have scored tried against anyone yesterday. And they defended very well.

You just needed some composure, and I don’t just mean that idiot lock. A few wrong options and missed kicks that were sitters. But you have some really talented players who will only get better.

[francoisfou]

A win is a win but we looked so far off the pace at times it wasn’t true. France were really good and back to their beneficial version of the side that turns up.

I can understand Francoisfou’s confidence this week

Perhaps the two week break helped them more than our ten days.

Got to get Davies back for stability and power.

Yes, I had a hunch they’d come good and could and should have won if it wasn’t for that moment of crass indiscipline from that tw@t Vahaamahina and the post at Ntamack’s conversion attempts. As far as the future is concerned, head coach Jacques Brunel will step down to be replaced by Fabien Galthié with Raphaël Ibañez as team manager. An improvement? We’ll see in the next 6Nations, but the long term objective will be the next World Cup here in France.

Perhaps adding Shaun Edwards will be the catalyst for great things in the year ahead.

He’s certainly added steel and discipline to Wales for twelve years.

For the moment, it’s only a rumour but Edwards would be a very welcome addition to the French coaching staff. If he comes, I’d like to be a fly on the wall when he he’s in front of the players giving them what for in his Wigan English! Maybe he speaks French, but it if not, the players would be in no doubt what’s expected of them!

[hugh_woatmeigh]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50121693

[bruce]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50121693

Oh dear. With the Boks still in the competition it is likely his world cup was over anyway but this definitely puts pay to Jaco having any further involvement.

[normanski]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50121693

Oh dear. With the Boks still in the competition it is likely his world cup was over anyway but this definitely puts pay to Jaco having any further involvement.

What a stupid thing to do. He might have got away with it if only the fans had raised elbows. I bet he was six sheets to the wind.

[Sandydragon]

Really really daft. The only positive is that it was such an obvious red card that there cannot be any accusations on his integrity during the match.

[Digby]

Really really daft. The only positive is that it was such an obvious red card that there cannot be any accusations on his integrity during the match.

Thank god he didn't allow a controversial late Welsh score

[Digby]

As an aside btw did anyone catch Mike Phillips' comments prior to the game? He was asked who his son would be supporting given his wife is French and he said his son was only 14 months old but would helpfully go on to play for Wales, and that has a lot to live up to, seemingly Mike has tempered his ego then in retirement

[Graigwen]

I suppose in the light of my prediction that was not a totally unexpected game.

The quality of French open play was breathtaking at times. They have shown the potential to cut other teams to shreds. Perhaps the only surprise was how well they managed to sustain their effort, especially when a man down.

For what its worth, the red card incident was just total madness, and very nasty. Absolutely clear cut, and probably to be followed by a significant ban. Also I thought the late Welsh try was OK. There seems to be a general relaxation on "flat" passing in this World Cup, giving the benefit of the doubt to the attacking side. I wonder if it has been discussed centrally by officials, on the basis it makes for a more exciting/viewable game. I am happy with it even when it goes against us.

Moriarty is a careless idiot. It was not only a high tackle but also a weak one. What is he going to do with de Clerk in the next game?

Peyper is also in idiot, as has been suggested possibly drunk in that photo.

The worst refereeing of the weekend was Garces random scrum reffing in England v Australia, he really does not have a clue.

It seems to me that France + Edwards could be a fruitful combination, just keeping the Gallic flair in check until the right moment.


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