NPR

Rumored French team according to Midol

15. Ramos ; 14. Penaud, 13. Fickou, 12. Danty, 11. Bielle-Biarrey ; 10. Jalibert, 9. Dupont ; 7. Ollivon, 8. Alldritt, 6. Jelonch ; 5. Flament, 4. Woki ; 3. Atonio, 2. Mauvaka, 1. Baille.

Official:

laurent wrote: Mon Sep 18, 2023 8:32 pm Rumored French team according to Midol

15. Ramos ; 14. Penaud, 13. Fickou, 12. Danty, 11. Bielle-Biarrey ; 10. Jalibert, 9. Dupont ; 7. Ollivon, 8. Alldritt, 6. Jelonch ; 5. Flament, 4. Woki ; 3. Atonio, 2. Mauvaka, 1. Baille.

Only 1 scrumhalf? Looks weak.

Sandstorm wrote: Mon Sep 18, 2023 9:49 pm

laurent wrote: Mon Sep 18, 2023 8:32 pm Rumored French team according to Midol

15. Ramos ; 14. Penaud, 13. Fickou, 12. Danty, 11. Bielle-Biarrey ; 10. Jalibert, 9. Dupont ; 7. Ollivon, 8. Alldritt, 6. Jelonch ; 5. Flament, 4. Woki ; 3. Atonio, 2. Mauvaka, 1. Baille.

Only 1 scrumhalf? Looks weak.

i am sure Mauvaka can cover

When’s the game?

laurent wrote: Mon Sep 18, 2023 8:32 pm Rumored French team according to Midol

15. Ramos ; 14. Penaud, 13. Fickou, 12. Danty, 11. Bielle-Biarrey ; 10. Jalibert, 9. Dupont ; 7. Ollivon, 8. Alldritt, 6. Jelonch ; 5. Flament, 4. Woki ; 3. Atonio, 2. Mauvaka, 1. Baille.

Saw that on Bernol. Good to see Danty and Baille back. It worries me that Jelonch is there. It might be to get game time in his legs but my suspicion is Galthie is already positioning to start him ahead of Cros when we get to games that matter.
Interesting that Villiere isn't there: he's really struggled since his latest injury recovery.

With the exception of Cros and Tao at 5, this is the best Fre team available.

Official team added:

It's going to be a tough day for the Namibian's.

laurent wrote: Tue Sep 19, 2023 10:09 am Official team added:

Hah. No Jelonch

Chilli wrote: Tue Sep 19, 2023 10:25 am It's going to be a tough day for the Namibian's.

This is clearly a 1st team selection run out along with getting Danty and Baille some game time. I suspect that whatever the score is at 1/2 time, as long as the game is dusted, France will ease off.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Tue Sep 19, 2023 2:26 pm

laurent wrote: Tue Sep 19, 2023 10:09 am Official team added:

Hah. No Jelonch

He s at 8 Aldritt is rested/ has a knee niggle.

laurent wrote: Tue Sep 19, 2023 3:17 pm

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Tue Sep 19, 2023 2:26 pm

laurent wrote: Tue Sep 19, 2023 10:09 am Official team added:

Hah. No Jelonch

He s at 8 Aldritt is rested/ has a knee niggle.

FM. I didn't even look at 8.

Very strange AC didn't pick Swanepoel, he's one of the best kickers in the tournament, can land goals from 60 metres, huge height on bombs, accurate deep restarts. Van Jaarsveld didn't get selected, he's a very good hooker. Uanivi their best lock also not there. There's some rotation in that Nam 23.

Backrow and backline are the sort of players which could be in an SA URC squad. Tight five maybe not at that level.

Really excited about this one…

What the hell is Dupont doing on the pitch!

Did that really need a TMO check? Looked like a nice backwards pass live.

That was purdy

Could be a ton at this rate

Lovely stuff but more worthy of a fwd pass check than the previous, esp the inside pass.

Wonderful hands, though!

Think I might have to switch this off. Going to be a horrible score and can’t stand listening to Darcy much longer

There has to be an argument for sending Africa 1 into the repechage rather than giving them a slot

Paddington Bear wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2023 7:31 pm There has to be an argument for sending Africa 1 into the repechage rather than giving them a slot

Would be awesome if Nigeria got a bit of interest in the game. Was hoping Kenya might build a bit quicker from their 7’s base

OK, yeah, best player ever

_Os_ wrote: Tue Sep 19, 2023 6:40 pm Very strange AC didn't pick Swanepoel, he's one of the best kickers in the tournament, can land goals from 60 metres, huge height on bombs, accurate deep restarts. Van Jaarsveld didn't get selected, he's a very good hooker. Uanivi their best lock also not there. There's some rotation in that Nam 23.

Backrow and backline are the sort of players which could be in an SA URC squad. Tight five maybe not at that level.

Probably saving his best players for the Uruguay match targeting it for Namibia’s first ever win at a World Cup?

I dunno.

It's a bit weird how much the French are still celebrating tries.

FM. This always had the potential to get ugly but it's worse than that. Fra playing to perfection and Nam doing the worst things you could possibly do against this Fre side i.e. kick badly into broken play and not properly police the breakdown.

Time to get everybody off now.

Slick wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2023 7:41 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2023 7:31 pm There has to be an argument for sending Africa 1 into the repechage rather than giving them a slot

Would be awesome if Nigeria got a bit of interest in the game. Was hoping Kenya might build a bit quicker from their 7’s base

It’s funny - Nigeria has to be the biggest ex-colony not to embrace either rugby or cricket. No idea why.

Add Zimbabwe to that list, but with the growth of rugby among France’s immigrant communities the smart money on a new African rugby nation would surely have to be on a francophone nation

I feel sick.

Namibia

Bloutoria wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2023 7:57 pm I feel sick.

Namibia

The only saving grace is Fra doing it playing rugby rather than trying to brutalise Nam. Fingers crossed neither side ends up with injuries which is a risk when things get this mismatched.

Really disappointed by Namibia. All the trouble to get there, then you serve up this.

That’s a shame on any number of levels

FFS, get Dupont off

That's a red. FFS. Are you coached by an imbecile?

Paddington Bear wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2023 8:08 pm That’s a shame on any number of levels

Would agree, specially considering this is pretty much one way traffic. Maybe we need to review how many teams go to the finals.

Jesus. It was red but for the sake of the game, was hoping it would be another bunker f**k up but that was never happening in a minnow's favour.

So are well all agreed that Namibia being this shite is down to SA whoring themselves to every competition they can rather than building the same in Africa?*

That red isn't going to help.

*I'm clearly kidding before I get piled on.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2023 8:13 pm Jesus. It was red but for the sake of the game, was hoping it would be another bunker f**k up but that was never happening in a minnow's favour.

Not against the hosts and for an offence on the tournaments poster boy.

Neither it should to be fair.

We need a minnows tournament. This is bs.

Big D wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2023 8:13 pm

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2023 8:13 pm Jesus. It was red but for the sake of the game, was hoping it would be another bunker f**k up but that was never happening in a minnow's favour.

Not against the hosts and for an offence on the tournaments poster boy.

Neither it should to be fair.

No. You are correct.

Bloutoria wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2023 8:14 pm We need a minnows tournament. This is bs.

We need WR to stop feeding us all bullsh*t about making the game global and actually start doing something about it.

Jethro wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2023 8:13 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2023 8:08 pm That’s a shame on any number of levels

Would agree, specially considering this is pretty much one way traffic. Maybe we need to review how many teams go to the finals.

Disagree on your last point. Uruguay, Chile, Portugal etc have all been very competitive. The outliers are Namibia (Africa should not have an automatic qualifier) and Romania (only there on a technicality).
A 20 team WC with USA and Spain instead is a different beast.
Compared to 8/12 years ago, we’ve got a whole new competition. Georgia, Uruguay, Japan etc were all no hopers very recently