NPR

France v Japan

Stadium de Toulouse

Sunday 20th Nov @ 2pm local (1pm GMT)

Teams
France - TBC
v
Japan - TBC

Have just read that Duponts Red card against SA has been france's first card all year. That discipline is seriously impressive. The boks have 13 Reds and yellows already, Wallabies and nz also around that Nummer

It'll be interesting to see how France approach this one. If they're thinking it'll be an easy win against a tier 2 team, I can see them having problems until the final quarter.

Obviously early, but Japan have started much better than they did against England.

Penaud really is an absurd finisher.

sockwithaticket wrote: Sun Nov 20, 2022 1:09 pm Penaud really is an absurd finisher.

Would certainly be in my WorldXV

Macalou must be a little put out that his chances over the last couple of weeks have been as a replacement winger.

SaintK wrote: Sun Nov 20, 2022 1:16 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: Sun Nov 20, 2022 1:09 pm Penaud really is an absurd finisher.

Would certainly be in my WorldXV

I'm not sure about that because he's certainly not the most well rounded of players, but going forward and with a sniff of the line, he's basically unplayable.

Shame about the conditions maybe putting a bit of a dampner on the action, but France are steadily going about their business.

Japan looking pretty poor and conforming to their between world cup mean.

Hello French fans booing their own side, it’s been too long.


Think the description of Japan above is unfair, they’re competing pretty effectively with probably the best team in the world and a score here would make for an interesting finish

Paddington Bear wrote: Sun Nov 20, 2022 2:18 pm Hello French fans booing their own side, it’s been too long.


Think the description of Japan above is unfair, they’re competing pretty effectively with probably the best team in the world and a score here would make for an interesting finish

Agree. It's still pretty close. France have threatened to blow Japan away at times but haven't really killed off the game. I don't really get the constant kicking strategy.

And as I type that, a short attacking kick-and-gather gets the breakthrough

I said it on the basis of the first half and stand by it. France have been poor in the third quarter and Japan have stepped up in response, but the ease of that try for Penaud shows to me that if France play to a fraction of their ability Japan can be swatted aside. They simply haven't been doing so.

Also, I know everyone has a lot of goodwill towards Japan, but between 2015 and 2019 their results were poor and the little they've managed to play since coming out of covid lockdown hasn't been much better really. They're a world cup team at the moment.

Great effort but don’t the whistling morons know what is touch?

POSITIVES
- Marchand and Alldritt were immense and I'll forgive the latter for his 2nd knock on from a restart in consecutive weeks.
- Wardi showed he might be the best back up to Baille.
- Woki's first decent game of the season for anyone.
- Macalou did not look out of place on the wing again which makes him invaluable as a utility player because it gives an option for another specialist on the bench.
- Ramos confounded most of my expectation over the 3 matches right up until that brainfart near the end which Jalibert almost rescued.
- Danty really has grown up. Pity he freewheeled for so many seasons at Paris.

NEGATIVES
- Tired over the years pointing out what a disgrace that pitch is. With all the money ST has had in the past and the style of game they play, it's beyond belief that it remains worse than my local park.
- Yet another sh*thouse performance from Ntamack which, again, was made to look a stark raving mad selection when Jalibert came on. Once more the backs were starved of ball and his paucity of kicking depth and accuracy when it was raining meant France never really exerted any control in the way Eng did against the same opponents. Pick this turkey at the RWC and forget any hope of winning.
- France's own Suitcase, Jelonch, had another largely invisible display which was shown up horribly by the efforts of his backrow partners. Jelonch was at fault for 2 of Japan's tries and, arguably, along with Tao, was at fault for Japan's clean break right at the start. He does nothing around the park bar tackle and if he's going to wave opponents through like that, then he is worse than useless.

Seems even Bernol has given up on Ntamack. Not even any attempt to make excuses this week with a pitiful 3/10 rating.

Quick note it was in the stadium not at the sept deniers

laurent wrote: Mon Nov 21, 2022 12:12 pm Quick note it was in the stadium not at the sept deniers

I know. But Toulouse play there often enough that you'd think there'd be an incentive for them or the municipales to sort it out.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Mon Nov 21, 2022 2:22 pm

laurent wrote: Mon Nov 21, 2022 12:12 pm Quick note it was in the stadium not at the sept deniers

I know. But Toulouse play there often enough that you'd think there'd be an incentive for them or the municipales to sort it out.

The football team is the main beneficiary of the pitch (municipality owned).

laurent wrote: Mon Nov 21, 2022 2:38 pm

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Mon Nov 21, 2022 2:22 pm

laurent wrote: Mon Nov 21, 2022 12:12 pm Quick note it was in the stadium not at the sept deniers

I know. But Toulouse play there often enough that you'd think there'd be an incentive for them or the municipales to sort it out.

The football team is the main beneficiary of the pitch (municipality owned).

Then don't play there at all (BTW, SD isn't great either). That was an embarrassment for French rugby as well as a real danger to players. I'm not convinced Fickou's injury wasn't at least part down to the sh*te surface.

Watched after our game and the stupid cunts at the Fresnes club house who gave us the score when asked not to :(

Not a great game would have preferred a more adventurous game plan.

I like AntiFa Japanese :)

laurent wrote: Mon Nov 21, 2022 8:52 pm Watched after our game and the stupid cunts at the Fresnes club house who gave us the score when asked not to :(

Not a great game would have preferred a more adventurous game plan.

I like AntiFa Japanese :)

Never happening with Ntamack sitting deeper than the Marianas Trench.