France player ratings vs Scotland - 2021 Six Nations
France player ratings: A weird and wonderful end to the most dramatic and beguiling of Guinness Six Nations.
A rain-sodden France were rattled early but played themselves back in the match before, well, before Brice Dulin…
FRANCE PLAYER RATINGS:
15. BRICE DULIN – 4
Has had a great tournament but he had some wobbly moments and errors with ball in hand here, albeit on a rainy Parisian night. Fabien Galthie accused the Welsh of card-seeking behaviour, but Dulin played a major role in shortening Finn Russell’s evening. His failure to kick the ball out in the 81st minute was unforgivable and utterly French.
14. DAMIAN PENAUD – 8
In the wars. Unselfishly put his back three mate Dulin in for France’s first try when he could well have finished it himself after stepping Duhan Van Der Merwe. Did brilliantly for his solo effort after the break.
13. VIRIMI VAKATAWA – 5
Full of violence when contributing in defence. His sublime offload for Penaud’s try was first class, but a lot of passing and decision-making was thoroughly pedestrian at other points during the match. Drifted in and out of the game.
12. ARTHUR VINCENT – 6
One of France’s most consistent metre makers, with 93 metres from 8 carries, even if distribution was very much secondary concern tonight.
11. GAEL FICKOU – 8
A great aerial performance from the left-wing, even if Six Nations fans are more used to seeing him doing his thing in the centres. Not to blame here.
10. ROMAIN NTAMACK – 7
A rusty performance for the Toulousain who missed the start of the tournament. A nervy and wet France needed a steady hand at the tiller and Ntamack struggled to play his way into the game in the first half. Came into it more as the track dried but the baller approach was never going to work tonight.
9. ANTOINE DUPONT – 7
Spent most of the first half putting out fires and fannying about with loose balls care of his profligate forward pack. His influence grew as the game wore on. An irrepressible little rascal but this was comme ci, comme ça by his standards.
1. CYRIL BAILLE – 7
In a dead heat with Wyn Jones as to the Six Nations form loosehead. Off after 56 minutes.
2. JULIEN MARCHAND – 8.5
Some proper flashy moments in attack, proving a real pain to deal with for the Scots.
3. MOHAMED HAOUAS – 8
The volatile Montpellier prop is a big physical presence and – even if he isn’t the fittest tighthead in the tournament – is a prodigious tackler. Sadly no round two with Jamie Ritchie for the neutrals to enjoy.
4. BERNARD LE ROUX – 6
France have missed the combative South African’s collision winning and his relentless defensive energy. Went off early.
5. SWAN REBBADJ – 7.5
It’s early in his Test career but the athletically built Toulon forward got through a lot of the unglamorous stuff. Was imperious at the lineout and took his try well.
6. ANTHONY JELONCH – 6
There’s a touch of Olivier Magne about the Castre flanker, even if most of his impact lies in defense.
7. CHARLES OLLIVON (C) – 6
He has that consistency of performance that you need in a skipper but French ultimately paid for a nervous start to this one.
8. GREGORY ALLDRITT – 6
Didn’t quite hit the highs of his remarkable 2020 tournament but still a rare talent. Another Frenchman who preferred the drier track in the second-half, amassing the guts of 100 carry metres.
Comments on RugbyPass
Pick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
15 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments