A huge 6-2 bench -

France team to face the All Blacks
France: 15 Theo Attissogbe, 14 Tom Spring, 13 Emilien Gailleton, 12 Gael Fickou (c), 11 Gabin Villière, 10 Joris Segonds, 9 Nolann Le Garrec, 8 Mickael Guillard, 7 Killian Tixeront, 6 Alexandre Fischer, 5 Tyler Duguid, 4 Hugo Auradou, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Gaetan Barlot, 1 Giorgi Beria
Replacements: 16 Pierre Bourgarit, 17 Paul Mallez, 18 Regis Montagne, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Cameron Woki, 21 Jacobus van Tonder, 22 Baptiste Jauneau, 23 Antoine Hastoy

Looks like the first five is pretty quick.

I actually like the size of the scrum, I agree with Mex on this one. I really hope That Tupou Vaii has a blinder, and can be a permanent option there. Funny how we went from looking like a small back row two weeks ago to one that can compete with anyone physically. Happy to see Proctor, hopefully he gets a long run. Weakest point is our wings, I don’t think they will be strong in the air, and not sure if Rieko has retained his pace and from what we have seen at test level Reece is wanting for pace. I expect Tupea and Jordan will finish up on the wings bar injury.

@frugby said in All Blacks v France I:

I’d really like to see Vaa’i given the whole series at 6. If they want to try it, then give it a decent sample size, so we can actually get a read on if it is a good idea.

Yeah, when he has played 6 before he was underwhelming.

But then he had a breakout year last year where he was one of the top performing locks in the world so keen to see if he can bring that improvement and confidence to 6 jersey.

3 tests there will be a good sample size to see if it is worth continuing for the TRC

@DMX

How do you know its a backrow that can compete with anyone physically when it's never played together before, 1 player is a debutant, and 1 is starting a test at 6 for the 2nd time?

@Bones said in All Blacks v France I:

Looks like the first five is pretty quick.

What you did there. I see it.

@brodean said in All Blacks v France I:

@DMX

How do you know its a backrow that can compete with anyone physically when it's never played together before, 1 player is a debutant, and 1 is starting a test at 6 for the 2nd time?

You are not contradicting anything I said. Physically they match up to Test back rows of our rivals , whether they combine as a unit we will see.

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v France I:

Christian Lio Willie speaks well. Doesn't sound like an overawed debutant. Excited to see him go at 8.

Isn't he a doctor or something?

@DaGrubster said in All Blacks v France I:

But then he had a breakout year last year where he was one of the top performing locks in the world so keen to see if he can bring that improvement and confidence to 6 jersey.

Worth a shot, but won't have a problem if it doesn't work/pan out. Robertson can always put him back to being one of the top performing locks in the world

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks v France I:

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v France I:

Christian Lio Willie speaks well. Doesn't sound like an overawed debutant. Excited to see him go at 8.

Isn't he a doctor or something?

Qualified dentist

@Frank said in All Blacks v France I:

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks v France I:

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v France I:

Christian Lio Willie speaks well. Doesn't sound like an overawed debutant. Excited to see him go at 8.

Isn't he a doctor or something?

Qualified dentist

You'd think he'd be throwing out a few more high tackles then eh.

@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France I:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

Hasn't stopped premature celebration before so I don't expect it to disappear now.

hello wife i didn't know you posted here

you were too busy celebrating to notice.

@Frank said in All Blacks v France I:

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks v France I:

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v France I:

Christian Lio Willie speaks well. Doesn't sound like an overawed debutant. Excited to see him go at 8.

Isn't he a doctor or something?

Qualified dentist

Makes sense.

@Daffy-Jaffy said in All Blacks v France I:

View image

A huge 6-2 bench -

France team to face the All Blacks
France: 15 Theo Attissogbe, 14 Tom Spring, 13 Emilien Gailleton, 12 Gael Fickou (c), 11 Gabin Villière, 10 Joris Segonds, 9 Nolann Le Garrec, 8 Mickael Guillard, 7 Killian Tixeront, 6 Alexandre Fischer, 5 Tyler Duguid, 4 Hugo Auradou, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Gaetan Barlot, 1 Giorgi Beria
Replacements: 16 Pierre Bourgarit, 17 Paul Mallez, 18 Regis Montagne, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Cameron Woki, 21 Jacobus van Tonder, 22 Baptiste Jauneau, 23 Antoine Hastoy

Squat props. Scrum will pack low.

@Daffy-Jaffy Is Giorgi Beria any relation to Lavrentiy Beria?

France with their own bomb squad with Taofifenua and Woki on the bench.

@Bones said in All Blacks v France I:

Looks like the first five is pretty quick.

Might have been better if he was playing openside flanker ( think about it )

@sparky said in All Blacks v France I:

@Daffy-Jaffy Is Giorgi Beria any relation to Lavrentiy Beria?

I just wasted 15 minutes checking, thanks. Apparently Beria is a relatively common name in Georgia.

@sparky or Yogi Beria?

I suspect a lot of posters haven't watched much of the Blues this year, but Beauden was one of their best and they wouldn't have made the play offs without him. I made the comment about a month or so back that people would be triggered when he gets named at 10 for this match and was told I was just trolling, but he has actually been very good this year.

I have no issues with him starting this match, but as people have pointed out age isn't on his side so they will need to have an eye to towards developing a younger player for the next RWC. That said, I am not a big fan of a coaches plans having to revolve around a 4 year RWC cycle, it leads us down the path of anything outside of it is just a "friendly" which would be a bad thing for rugby overall.