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France make four changes for Scotland rematch
France have made four changes to their starting line-up to face Scotland next Saturday at Murrayfield.
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The French burst into their pre-World Cup schedule with a massive 32-3 win over the Scots last Saturday in Nice and coach Jacques Brunel has opted to tweak only a few things for the rematch.
Guilhem Guirado, Felix Lambey, Arthur Iturria and Thomas Ramos all come into the starting XV as the French look to replicate last weekend’s win where they registered five tries in their 29-point success.
The debut-making Alivereti Raka scored inside just two minutes and they never looked back, Maxime Medard and Gregory Alldritt adding further first-half tries before Medard and Antoine Dupont crossed after the break.
Brunel wasn’t expected to pick his latest team as early as Tuesday, but such is the confidence now suddenly coursing through the France camp the coach decided not to wait until later in the week to announce who will play for him in Edinburgh.
????????? Deuxième match de préparation à la Coupe du Monde ce samedi pour les Bleus ! Le #XVdeFrance se rend à Edimbourg pour y affronter une nouvelle fois l'Écosse ! Voici la composition de votre équipe ! #NeFaisonsXV #ECOFRA pic.twitter.com/lnSMQ4hv1u
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) August 20, 2019
Skipper Guirado returns at hooker in place of Camille Chat, Lambey comes in at second row, Iturria is included in the back row while Ramos takes over from two-try Medard at full-back.
Paul Gabrillagues, who was cited by independent citing commissioner Shaun Gallagher (England) for alleged dangerous play in the 17th minute last weekend, has been omitted as he is due to face a disciplinary hearing in London on Tuesday compromising chair Antony Davies (England), former international referee Donal Courtney (Ireland) and former international player Stefan Terblanche (South Africa).
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France turn to forgotten Fijian Virimi Vakatawa to plug their RWC squad injury gap https://t.co/rSWFpXP7FG
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 20, 2019
Outside of team selection for their second warm-up match for the finals in Japan where they will face England and Argentina, the French have confirmed that Fijian-born Virimi Vakatawa will join the group on Wednesday to replace Geoffrey Doumayrou, the midfielder whose training ground injury ended his World Cup last Thursday.
FRANCE (v Scotland, Saturday)
Ramos; Penaud, Fickou, Fofana, Raka; Lopez, Dupont; Iturria, Alldritt, Ollivon, Vahaamahina, Lambey, Slimani, Guirado, Poirot. Reps: Chat, Baille, Setiano, Taofifenua, Camara, Serin, Ntamack, Medard.
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Comments on RugbyPass
No Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team does not beat the ABs sadly
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments