Congrats France

[Ymx]

Absolutely brilliant rugby.

Going to be very hard to beat next year at home World Cup.

[Jock42]

Well done France

[ASMO]

Best team won, well deserved.

[laurent]

Finally made it

[sefton]

Enjoy it, clearly the best team in Europe at present.

[sturginho]

Bravo les bleus!

[Torquemada 1420]

Enjoy it, clearly the best team in Europe at present.

Indeed. This "best in the world" is bollox hyperbole.

[Biffer]

Yep, great stuff. Will be good to have a strong France team in their home World Cup.

[Slick]

Yep, great stuff. Will be good to have a strong France team in their home World Cup.

Maybe we need to just move to supporting our 2nd team now

[sockwithaticket]

A well deserved tournament victory.

It's kind of nice to have you back, although I'm sure it won't be long before we're yearning for you to return to the 'which France will turn up' stereotype.

[Torquemada 1420]

Last Fre GS side of 2010:

Poitrenaud; Andreu, Bastareaud, Jauzion, Palisson; Trinh-Duc, Parra; Domingo, Servat, Mas, Nallet, Pierre, Dusautoir, Bonnaire, Harinordoquy.

I reckon only 3 of that side would have made today's team

Spoiler

Show

Mas, Dusautoir and Jauzion

[Ymx]

I think we saw the best team in the world at this tournament, to be quite honest.

Saffers and NZ are below this standard IMO.

[OomStruisbaai]

Congrats Torc with your team. France the team to beat.

[Ymx]

We have Ireland, who are the French playing in mid year tournament?

And which French team will turn up? As in, will it actually be an A team?

[Grandpa]

I think we saw the best team in the world at this tournament, to be quite honest.

Saffers and NZ are below this standard IMO.

Currently I think only SA might stop them.. literally from playing that high speed game. Slow the game down and frustrate them to death.

The best thing about France is they are great to watch as well.

[Ymx]

Japan v France (shame, it will be a B team hammering the Japs)
Aus v England (might be close)
NZ v Ireland (certainly a good one)
SA v Wales (SA should be pretty comfortable)

Edit:

And Arg v Scotland (good match up)

Aside from France, this might be some good rugby to watch in July.

[JM2K6]

Brilliant team. Dealt with the nerves well, didn't have everything their own way but didn't let it show. Best player in the world surrounded by quality, well coached and with a great attitude.

[Torquemada 1420]

Congrats Torc with your team. France the team to beat.

Thx but I really think SA have more than a little to say about that and anyone writing NZ off is a fool!

[Guy Smiley]

I think we saw the best team in the world at this tournament, to be quite honest.

Saffers and NZ are below this standard IMO.

Currently I think only SA might stop them.. literally from playing that high speed game. Slow the game down and frustrate them to death.

The best thing about France is they are great to watch as well.

They looked fast... against England, who clearly tried and couldn't match that speed. For all that though, I felt at times that the game was slow. Both teams were blowing hard early in the 2nd half... I'd be more impressed if France had managed to sustain the intensity throughout the game but they went flat there for a long stretch.

France are strong right across the park and they're playing sensible, tough rugby. There's a lot to like about them.

If SA follow through and move to a home based player selection policy as they have suggested, then I think the Boks fall away. For me that leaves Ireland and France at the top of the pecking order. This year's Rugby Championship is going to be a fascinating reveal of where the Boks and Wallabies are at.

[Crash669]

Thought they should have won by more, few loose passes and maybe a bit of nerves held them back.

If they put it together they would be good value for the RWC and deservedly so.

[Grandpa]

I think we saw the best team in the world at this tournament, to be quite honest.

Saffers and NZ are below this standard IMO.

Currently I think only SA might stop them.. literally from playing that high speed game. Slow the game down and frustrate them to death.

The best thing about France is they are great to watch as well.

They looked fast... against England, who clearly tried and couldn't match that speed. For all that though, I felt at times that the game was slow. Both teams were blowing hard early in the 2nd half... I'd be more impressed if France had managed to sustain the intensity throughout the game but they went flat there for a long stretch.

France are strong right across the park and they're playing sensible, tough rugby. There's a lot to like about them.

If SA follow through and move to a home based player selection policy as they have suggested, then I think the Boks fall away. For me that leaves Ireland and France at the top of the pecking order. This year's Rugby Championship is going to be a fascinating reveal of where the Boks and Wallabies are at.

Is that true? SA are going to only pick home based players? From when? Before the world cup?

France were fast against us last autumn as well. I really hope Foster's wife has some input this season .

[Guy Smiley]

I read that somewhere... possibly it was a post on PR. I can't remember clearly.

[laurent]

We still did not get the Triple crown :(

[Grandpa]

I read that somewhere... possibly it was a post on PR. I can't remember clearly.

Googling I can only see they are doing that for the England game in the autumn as outside the test window...

Getting my hopes up damn you!

[Jimmy Smallsteps]

Dream draw with three matches at home including two of the big guns, Ireland and England.

Still, clearly the best side and deserved Six Nations champions.

[LenCohen]

Last Fre GS side of 2010:

Poitrenaud; Andreu, Bastareaud, Jauzion, Palisson; Trinh-Duc, Parra; Domingo, Servat, Mas, Nallet, Pierre, Dusautoir, Bonnaire, Harinordoquy.

I reckon only 3 of that side would have made today's team

Spoiler

Show

Mas, Dusautoir and Jauzion

Would take bonnaire or imanol, maybe both. And probably servat too.

[TheFrog]

Last Fre GS side of 2010:

Poitrenaud; Andreu, Bastareaud, Jauzion, Palisson; Trinh-Duc, Parra; Domingo, Servat, Mas, Nallet, Pierre, Dusautoir, Bonnaire, Harinordoquy.

I reckon only 3 of that side would have made today's team

Spoiler

Show

Mas, Dusautoir and Jauzion

Harinirdoquy, Bonnaire were outstanding operators, Domingo was a bull and a monster at scrum time - sure Baille is much rounder playe.

[TheFrog]

Dream draw with three matches at home including two of the big guns, Ireland and England.

Still, clearly the best side and deserved Six Nations champions.

Next 6N will be important for both France and Ireland to send a message to the world.

[Torquemada 1420]

Last Fre GS side of 2010:

Poitrenaud; Andreu, Bastareaud, Jauzion, Palisson; Trinh-Duc, Parra; Domingo, Servat, Mas, Nallet, Pierre, Dusautoir, Bonnaire, Harinordoquy.

I reckon only 3 of that side would have made today's team

Spoiler

Show

Mas, Dusautoir and Jauzion

Harinirdoquy, Bonnaire were outstanding operators, Domingo was a bull and a monster at scrum time - sure Baille is much rounder playe.

Yes, but both were criminally deployed as heavy ball crashers from 8 (instead of flankers. IIRC, Mackay even had Bonnaire in as a lock!!) which is what I think wrecked Hari in his later years. Now way either is getting in at 8. That leaves 2 flank spots and Cros's workrate in a modern game is more than players of that era could keep up with: except maybe peak Dusautoir. Jelonch is the weak link in the backrow for France at the moment. Baille is a great scrummer (might not be as good as Domingo) but he is the best ball handling prop in world rugby at present.

[OomStruisbaai]

I read that somewhere... possibly it was a post on PR. I can't remember clearly.

Googling I can only see they are doing that for the England game in the autumn as outside the test window...

Getting my hopes up damn you!

Correct. Only England.

[Guy Smiley]

I read that somewhere... possibly it was a post on PR. I can't remember clearly.

Googling I can only see they are doing that for the England game in the autumn as outside the test window...

Getting my hopes up damn you!

Correct. Only England.

Bugger

[OomStruisbaai]

Googling I can only see they are doing that for the England game in the autumn as outside the test window...

Getting my hopes up damn you!

Correct. Only England.

Bugger

It won't influence our lot playing in Japan. Willie, Am, Marx, Kriel, Kwagga, Franco Mostert.

[OomStruisbaai]

We have a lot of players playing Top14 in France.
SPRINGBOKS IN THE TOP 14
15. Elton Jantjies – Pau
14. Cheslin Kolbe – Toulon
13. Raymond Rhule – La Rochelle
12. Jan Serfontein – Montpellier
11. Dillyn Leyds – La Rochelle
10. Handre Pollard – Montpellier
9. Cobus Reinach – Montpellier
8. Wiaan Liebenberg – La Rochelle
7. Retief Marais – Brive
6. Rynhardt Elstadt – Toulouse
5. Eben Etzebeth – Toulon
4. Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg – Montpellier
3. Cody Thomas – Brive
2. Joseph Dweba – Bordeaux
1. Nemo Roelofse – Stade Francais

[OomStruisbaai]

France obviously the team to beat, no doubt.

We played them 12th November in Paris.

First we need to deal with Wales.

[PCPhil]

Best in the tournament and growing in belief. Worryingly we didn’t see complete performance from them and there could be more to come.
But will the home pressure tell on them in the WC? Will they fall as predictably as an Ireland 1/4 exit?

[OomStruisbaai]

Correct. Only England.

Bugger

It won't influence our lot playing in Japan. Willie, Am, Marx, Kriel, Kwagga, Franco Mostert.

Add PSdT coached by Hansen.