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Six Nations 2017: France vs Scotland Preview
France vs Scotland at Stade de France (Sunday, February 12, 11pm HKT)
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The final game of the second round of the 2017 Six Nations has all the signs of being a thriller
What we can expect
High-octane, thrill-a-minute, attacking rugby from two sides that just want to play fast and loose.
France
Les Bleus should have beaten England at Twickenham last weekend, but bottled the final quarter to gift a scarcely-deserved win to the hosts. The fans have been behind the Novès revolution so far, but they will be baying for a big, beautiful – legendarily French – win at home.
Matchday 23: Scott Spedding, Noa Nakaitaci, Rémi Lamerat, Gaël Fickou, Virimi Vakatawa, Camille Lopez , Baptiste Serin; Louis Picamoles, Kévin Gourdon, Loann Goujon, Yoann Maestri, Sébastien Vahaamahina, Uini Atonio, Guilhem Guirado, Cyril Baille Replacements: Christopher Tolofua, Rabah Slimani, Xavier Chiocci, Julien Ledevedec, Damien Chouly, Maxime Machenaud, Jean-Marc Doussain, Yoann Huget.
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Scotland
Confidence is high in the Scotland camp after that tremendous Six Nations’ curtain-raiser performance in victory over Ireland. But they have not won in Paris in their last nine visits, and will need all their newly-discovered mental toughness to end that run. It will be a special day for 24-year-old Stuart Hogg, too, as he becomes the youngest Scot to win 50 caps for his country.
Matchday 23: Stuart Hogg, Sean Maitland, Huw Jones, Alex Dunbar, Tommy Seymour, Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw; Allan Dell, Fraser Brown, Zander Fagerson, Richie Gray, Jonny Gray, John Barclay, Josh Strauss, Hamish Watson. Replacements: Ross Ford, Gordon Reid, Simon Berghan, Tim Swinson, John Hardie, Alistair Price, Duncan Weir, Mark Bennett.
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All eyes on: Louis Picamoles
The Northampton number eight was immense with the ball in hand in London last week, winning the man-of-the-match award despite being on the losing side.
Key battle: The scrum
It seems trite to say how important the scrum will be, but Scotland’s went backwards rapidly at the start of the opening match against Ireland, before recovering to achieve something approaching parity in a backs-to-the-wall second half. It speaks volumes that the players and coaching team kept clear heads when all about them, fans and pundits were losing theirs. But the French scrum is big and powerful and uncompromising – and will take no prisoners. Scottish composure levels will have to be ramped up to 11.
Prediction
There should be plenty for neutrals to enjoy, while fans of both sides will probably cheer and scream and watch through their fingers in equal measure. In the end, though, home advantage has to count for something. France by 8.
Comments on RugbyPass
Except 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.
33 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.
2 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
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 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
33 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.
33 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.
17 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. Those praising him are a joke.
17 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.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments