Match thread

France are playing champagne rugby. It is a joy to watch.

Canes4life

@Old-Samurai-Jack said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

France are playing champagne rugby. It is a joy to watch.

It’s exactly why we need to fight fire with fire and start giving the likes of Numia, Samisoni, Aumua, Tosi etc starts so we can blow teams off the park.

ACT Crusader

So players out on their feet for much of the second half and Schmidt brings a fresh player on with 5 to go…..

Victor Meldrew

French D has been magnificent this half

nostrildamus

@Canes4life said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

@Old-Samurai-Jack said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

France are playing champagne rugby. It is a joy to watch.

It’s exactly why we need to fight fire with fire and start giving the likes of Numia, Samisoni, Aumua, Tosi etc starts so we can blow teams off the park.

Cane, Token Cane (recuperated in Wellington), Cane, Cane etc? We just need 3+ more Canes?

Mr Fish

@Canes4life said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

Another case of teams automatically picking players because of experience and not form. Wright should not have started tonight.

Wright's generally been pretty good tonight, no?

That dodgy pass was nothing to do with being a bit undercooked.

But yes Campbell was pretty good last week.

antipodean

Hasn't helped the Wallabies that Schmidt thinks Campbell is acceptable 10 cover.

Canes4life

@nostrildamus said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

@Canes4life said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

@Old-Samurai-Jack said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

France are playing champagne rugby. It is a joy to watch.

It’s exactly why we need to fight fire with fire and start giving the likes of Numia, Samisoni, Aumua, Tosi etc starts so we can blow teams off the park.

Cane, Token Cane (recuperated in Wellington), Cane, Cane etc? We just need 3+ more Canes?

That’s a start but it ain’t enough.

nostrildamus

@Mr-Fish said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

@Canes4life said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

Another case of teams automatically picking players because of experience and not form. Wright should not have started tonight.

Wright's generally been pretty good tonight, no?

That dodgy pass was nothing to do with being a bit undercooked.

But yes Campbell was pretty good last week.

I had to go away for 20 min to restock cellar but everytime I've watche him over last 40 he's made mistakes..

Kirwan

no matter if the Aussies do something good, there is always French tacklers. Defended like demons

Victor Meldrew

ITV Commentator (usually absolutely shit) gets it right.

"Just sit back and enjoy the chaos"

Kirwan

@victor-meldrew said in Wallabies v France:

ITV Commentator (usually absolutely shit) gets it right.

"Just sit back and enjoy the chaos"

sums it up well, that was all over the place. Very entertaining

Bones

@Victor-Meldrew said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

ITV Commentator (usually absolutely shit) gets it right.

"Just sit back and enjoy the chaos"

Same one that questioned every decision against France? Also went in about France's great discipline... while they gave away a penalty.

Canes4life

@nostrildamus said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

@Canes4life said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

@nostrildamus said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

Cane, Token Cane (recuperated in Wellington), Cane, Cane etc? We just need 3+ more Canes?

That’s a start but it ain’t enough.

@act-crusader we've found your successor..

What I’m trying to say is we need to stop doing the same shit and expecting to get better. It’s not rocket science, like it or not the Canes showed how we need to play, we need to start picking players that will enable us to play that way. Currently we aren’t and it’s frustrating.

nostrildamus

"...they kick it out! France have had enough!"
Cheese-eating surrender monkeys!

Glad we didn't play this French team last week.

nostrildamus

Emmanuel Latu-Meafou was born in Auckland! Sliding doors moment!

Emmanuel Meafou is very well spoken
Definitely one missed by the Wallabies

ACT Crusader

@akan004 said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

Glad we didn't play this French team last week.

The way the game diescended in terms of structure allowed the French loose forwards and backs to dominate.

Game didn’t get that loose last week.

I feel sorry for the Wallabies in the post-match interviews. Interviewer asking about all the support they're getting and how much they want to get a result for them. I don't think it's for lack of trying.

African Monkey

@Biorealism said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

I feel sorry for the Wallabies in the post-match interviews. Interviewer asking about all the support they're getting and how much they want to get a result for them. I don't think it's for lack of trying.

Definitely not for lack of trying. They probably should have won last week, and were bloody good for 40 this week, but just couldn't keep up in the 2nd.

ACT Crusader

@African-Monkey last week I genuinely felt sorry for the ‘Men in Gold’ (say it in a Clarkeeeee voice).

That game was theirs and albeit one or two poor decisions by the captain and one other player, decided it in the end.

mariner4life

Okay, what did I notice live?

I love what the French do on attack. That flat pass to the guys coming around the corner is hard to defend and they rarely take dominant tackles. They are very skillful at the little things and play with boundless freedom. Their 2nd half was almost faultless.

Gutsy from the wallabies to lead at half time despite conceding early. They couldn't get their hands on it in the 2nd half. And yet, if tupou wasn't a fucking idiot they could have been right in it at the death.

Mcreight is fucking awesome. Valetini is a handful but he did a bit too much walking in the 2nd half. Sua'ali'i is incredibly frustrating to watch. His penchant for jogging before trying to explode through the line was eaten up last night. Run you flashy fluffybunny!!
Test rugby was a bit too fast for young Meredith.

@mariner4life said in 2026 Nations Championship: Australia v France:

Okay, what did I notice live?

I love what the French do on attack. That flat pass to the guys coming around the corner is hard to defend and they rarely take dominant tackles. They are very skillful at the little things and play with boundless freedom. Their 2nd half was almost faultless.

Gutsy from the wallabies to lead at half time despite conceding early. They couldn't get their hands on it in the 2nd half. And yet, if tupou wasn't a fucking idiot they could have been right in it at the death.

Mcreight is fucking awesome. Valetini is a handful but he did a bit too much walking in the 2nd half. Sua'ali'i is incredibly frustrating to watch. His penchant for jogging before trying to explode through the line was eaten up last night. Run you flashy fluffybunny!!
Test rugby was a bit too fast for young Meredith.

Yeah felt sorry for Meredith was a leap too far atm
Sualili is frustrating and be interesting when Crichton comes over as Crichton and ikitau at 13 could be very good.

ACT Crusader

@mariner4life the more I see of McReight, he has the anticipation of George Smith and the strength of Pocock. I’d have him in any World XV being bandied around these days.

Joey looked half way between ‘breaking out’ and ‘playing to the set play ’ a few times. There was at least twice where the space had been created by the first part of the phase and the ball gets to him and he should’ve just gone rather than hand it off on the change of direction.