http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/ en Copyright 2012 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:10:37 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
George North celebrates the memorable victory at the Aviva Stadium © Getty Images
Wales’s win in Dublin was hugely significant for the players, the coaching staff and the nation, but not for the obvious reasons. This was, of course, a vital away win on the opening weekend of the Championship, and it was earned against a much vaunted Irish team who had shunned the opportunity to rebuild and instead picked a squad and starting XV with the clear intent of winning the championship. But the significance of Wales’s victory is greater than its impact on this year’s Six Nations table. This was the win that the rugby world has said that Wales must master. The win where things go wrong, yet the team still manage to close out a victory. The win that the All Blacks and South Africa routinely execute whether home or away. The build-up to the game wasn’t ideal. Wales had a raft of pre-tournament injuries. Alun Wyn Jones and Luke Charteris were the long-term casualties, whilst Gethin Jenkins, Dan Lydiate and Matthew Rees added to the worries late on. These are the sort of injuries that would have knocked the Welsh team sideways in previous years. Few teams can afford to lose two British Lions and a player of Lydiate’s quality, yet Wales coped. Ryan Jones was superb at the Aviva. He carried the ball 11 times, mostly in the narrow channels, which freed Toby Faletau to run into the spaces that appear in the 10/12/13 channels. Rhys Gill was a more than able replacement for Gethin Jenkins. He controlled Mike Ross in the scrum and carried well in the loose. As too did Huw Bennett, the Welsh Hooker who replaced Matthew Rees. But whilst Bennett’s ball carrying and scrummaging are rarely questioned – the same cannot be said of his ability to control the flight of a Gilbert Virtuo Match Ball. Which brings me to the line-out. The Welsh lineout functioned at 71.4% - the lowest lineout succession rate of any team in the opening weekend. Four or five seasons ago losing 4 lineouts from 14 would have derailed Welsh momentum, yet this time it didn’t. The Welsh lineout was undoubtedly poor, but the goal kicking was worse. A kick success rate of 42.9%, as it was on Sunday, is spectacularly bad in Test rugby. Wales’s goal kicking problems have been building since the transition from Stephen Jones to Rhys Preistland took place during the summer. But despite poor kicking being one of the major reasons why Wales struggled to fulfil their true potential in the World Cup against Ireland, the Welsh overcame it. Wales’s final problem came courtesy of Bradley Davies’s Mexican wrestling impression in the 65th minute. It was one of the most ill-conceived and malicious incidents that I have witnessed in professional rugby. It ranks up there with Tana Umaga and Kevin Mealamu’s tag team manoeuvre on Brian O’Driscoll in 2005. ‘Tip tackles’ have already cost Wales a place in the World Cup Final and it looked as though Davies’s lunacy would have a similar effect in Dublin. Luckily, it didn’t. Whilst a few things did go wrong on Sunday, plenty went right. Despite missing four of their first choices, the Welsh tight five delivered 57% possession and 58% territory – and that’s with the inability to maintain possession and territory via lineout possession. Ian Evans stood out in particular. He looked like a man making up for lost time, carrying the ball 11 times, making 9 tackles and missing none. If the Welsh pack bullied the Irish, the Welsh backs actions verged on grievous bodily harm. The current Welsh three quarters are truly enormous and their impact on the diminutive Gordon D’Arcy and Fergus McFadden was memorable. Sextons inclusion meant that the Welsh didn’t target the usually fragile ten channel and instead focused on the 12/13 channel. The result was that the Irish centres had to make 27 tackles between them. But these weren’t the sort of tackles that involve neatly nipping at a Welsh centre’s heels as he attempts to glide around your outside shoulder, these were the sort of tackles that make you wish you had retired after the World Cup. Whilst Roberts, and Jon Davies in particular, owned the midfield, it was George North who attracted the deepest intakes of breath. North is beginning to make seasoned internationals look naive. He has drawn comparisons with Jonah Lomu, and in the sixth minute of the game, the comparison became very apt. North took the ball from an almost standing start, brushed aside Jamie Heaslip and began bearing down on Rob Kearney as Lomu did with Mike Catt in 1995. Admittedly, Kearney made a better fist of it than Catt and committed to the tackle, but the result was the same – there’s something unedifying about seeing a Lions’ fullback rolling around on his back like an upturned turtle. Yesterday’s performance wasn’t just about Wales’ ball carriers, the ball players also played well. Despite a terrible performance kicking from the tee, and a few loose tactical kicks, Rhys Preistland once again released the Welsh three-quarters in a way that no other Welsh ten can. It is a pleasure to watch him scan the field, and change the point of attack at will. His mid-range pass is always ‘in front’ and affords the receiver every opportunity to get over the gain line. Priestland’s passes also have a relatively loose spiral and are easy to catch, resulting in fewer handling errors in the backline. Leigh Halfpenny’s stature may be dwarfed by the rest of the backline, but his contribution was once again gigantic. He started the game at fullback with no kicking responsibilities and ended the game on the wing with the weight of Welsh expectation on his shoulders. Whilst Alex Cuthbert’s rather cutthroat removal saw Halfpenny end up on the wing, he is becoming one of the best fullbacks in Europe – and that is surely where Gatland sees his future. Wales’ win in Dublin was enormous. They got it right even when things were going wrong. I can’t wait to see what happens when everything goes right. Paul Williams - @thepaulwilliams]]> http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/wales_got_it_right_when_things.php http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/wales_got_it_right_when_things.php Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:10:37 +0000
Andy Robinson was helpless as Scotland failed to score yet again © Getty Images
Andy Robinson asked for chaos ahead of the Calcutta Cup match, but it wasn't quite the chaos that he had hoped for. I am sure he envisioned an onslaught of hefty runners offloading at pace and grinding the young England into the muddy turf of Murrayfield, regaining consciousness to find themselves down by a healthy margin and the Scots rampant. Dropped balls, knock ons, wobbly scrums and penalties in the middle of the park were probably not what was in the game plan. The rain and snow never really materialised, and aside from a big break by Jim Hamilton Scotland's early efforts to take the game to England were rebuffed. Most of the running was done by England's back three as Dan Parks kicked leisurely balls to them in plenty of space. It was still helter-skelter stuff on display, but George Clancy's decisions went both ways. As the game wore on and Scotland grew desperate, the decisions skewed distinctly in favour of England who by then had a sniff and were resolute in putting the game beyond Scotland; despite coming off second best in territory, possession, passes and missed tackles - but not the scoreboard. Hodgson's try was against the run of the whole match, but it gave this young England side the edge they needed in a match that should never have been this close. You feel for the Scotland pack in a game like this. Ross Rennie and David Denton were the most outstanding, but everyone carried manfully and often. The scrum was a mixed bag, the lineout was solid. In return the backs did what Scotland backs have done for years: ran sideways or into blind alleys, failed to pop up in support, or threw passes to no-one, or kicked away possession. Sprinkle little mistakes from everyone on top of that particular cake and it begins to taste a bit stale. Sean Lamont at inside centre was virtually anonymous in the first hour - not necessarily his fault as he had little ball, but if Scotland are going to make the best of their outside backs (Lamont included) - who do have talent, who can beat their man and even pass sometimes - then they are going to need a more creative axis at 10 and 12. And so to Parks. He didn't have his worst game, but before there was no-one of any great quality to replace him. Now we have Laidlaw and Weir waiting in the wings; neither is the finished article, but they could offer more to a Scotland team even at their current level. This means that every mistake Parks makes now only amplifies the groans around the ground, and around the country. It also puts undue pressure on Andy Robinson who seems once again to be clinging to favourites and distracting attention from the genuine progress he has made in every area save try-scoring. Laidlaw's self-made "try" was fairly dubious, but it highlighted the difference he would have made had he been on from the start. Suddenly the backs started to look like they knew what they were doing, compared to say a fancy attacking move in the first half that ended with Parks throwing a cheeky wee pass behind to no-one. With this result putting paid to the need to chase wins above all else (no Grand Slam this time!) perhaps we can see what the next generation have to offer. Never mind victory at all costs, we just want our Scotland team not to look hopeless. Rory - @ScotRugbyBlog]]> http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/a_familiar_kind_of_chaos.php http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/a_familiar_kind_of_chaos.php Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:08:21 +0000
Stephen Ferris reflects on his sin-binning © Getty Images
The ebb and flow of a rugby game is as mysterious as a girl Peter Andre once sang about. There’s no easy way to take a defeat in Test rugby, and losing at home in a Six Nations opener does not make it any easier. Ireland loses to Wales for the third time in a row, and fourth time under Declan Kidney. Hopes of a Grand Slam, or even a Triple Crown are nipped in the bud by an under strength Welsh side and Ireland next travel to Paris, a city they haven't won in since Brian O'Driscoll's debut season in the Six Nations Championship. Optimism? Never heard of it… Ireland really didn’t turn up for the opening 30 minutes. A Johnny Sexton penalty within four minutes was all the opening half hour had to offer, Wales on the other hand showed promise, edge, dominance and it seemed Mike Phillips had time to spare with every movement he made. A try from Jonathan Davies after 14 minutes put Wales in front but Rhys Priestland failed to convert. A missed penalty in front of the posts seemed to cement the fact it would not be the Welsh number 10’s afternoon. Somehow Ireland survived the dominance, at 20 minutes they had accumulated 43 tackles to the Welsh’s 17 and possession, well, Wales were like the school yard bully playing keep away from a small child. Despite this Ireland conjured up a passage out of nothing and some quick hands fell to Tommy Bowe who offloaded to Rory Best, who crossed over for his sixth try in the green of Ireland. Sexton added the formalities and incredibly, Wales found themselves trailing 10-5 heading into the break. The news Welsh captain Sam Warburton was coming off at half time bolstered the home crowd and their voices started to be heard a little bit more. A bright start to the second half was rewarded with another Sexton penalty and daylight between the teams with an eight point gap. Priestland missed a third go at the posts and it was no surprise to anyone that Leigh Halfpenny replaced him from the tee after that. Regardless of the missed penalty and Irish momentum, George North released Davies who powered over the Irish try line for the second time. With Halfpenny on kicking duties, Wales took the lead, 13-15. Sexton immediately replied with a penalty a hugely controversial decision. Welsh second row, Bradley Davis appeared to pick and dump Donnacha Ryan, who had came on to replace Munster’s Donnacha O’Callaghan. Touch judge Dave Pearson was called on by Wayne Barnes who used the phrase – picked up above the horizontal and dropped. Asked for his recommendation, “just a yellow” was uttered by the English official. It’s at this point we need to cast our minds back to Sam Warburton in the World Cup. Alain Rolland sent off the Welsh captain for a similar incident with Vincent Clerc - that seemed less. Surely under the rules this was a red and not a sin binning? Its calls like this sometimes decide games. Ireland went forward and for what seemed like the 50th time in the match won the Welsh line out. Donnacha Ryan superbly rose and slapped the ball back to the Ireland side where the ball was spread and set up. Sucking the 14 man welsh team into the ruck over and over before unleashing the ball wide to Tommy Bowe who was never going to be stopped in the corner. Sexton failed to convert from almost out on the touchline, 21-15 with 10 minutes on the clock. Wales came straight back at the home side and their power seemed too much for Ireland as Roberts and Davies combined to set up the North who powered his way over the line for the 10th time in 17 games. Halfpenny missed the conversion, 21-20 in the 74th minute and it was looking ominous for Ireland. O’Gara sent the restart into the Welsh 22, and just kept irking forward and battling their way all the way to just outside the Irish 22 where in a moment of madness, Stephen Ferris dumped Ian Evans and was binned, similar to the earlier incident, Ferris was lucky the card didn’t match the match the Welsh jersey. Halfpenny stepped up and broke the hearts and hopes of the Irish. 21-23. It’s hard for the Irish fan to now be optimistic; questions will plague Kidney for the next few days regarding selection and perhaps now, the memory of 2009s Grand Slam is fading and the pressure on Kidney will mount. All eyes to Paris on Saturday evening, until then I’ll be licking my wounds and pretending I’ve never heard of rugby. Danny Murray - @danjomurray]]> http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/new_campaign_same_outcome.php http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/new_campaign_same_outcome.php Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:02:42 +0000
The new-look England coaching team celebrate with the Calcutta Cup © Getty Images
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, and that was certainly the case for England in their 13-6 triumph over Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday night. Although the only unfamiliarity about this victory was the venue; England haven’t ran out winners at the home of Scottish rugby since 2004 so will be delighted that they got their Six Nations campaign up and running in Edinburgh. There were mixed fortunes for the men in white on Saturday, but that is only to be expected considering the England side is one that is essentially in rehabilitation. It would have been naive to presume that the new-look outfit would run out and crush Scotland in their own back yard and, after the hosts missed so many opportunities, Stuart Lancaster must be thankful that his side still harbour hopes of a Grand Slam after such a tough opening assignment. Owen Farrell, still only 20 years of age, handled himself with a maturity far beyond his years and despite facing a chorus of jeers every time he stepped up to aim at the posts, managed to land three excellent kicks with the last of those efforts putting England out of reach. Nerveless indeed. The partnership of Farrell and Brad Barritt was an impressive one as the two showed their Saracens connection to link up on a number of occasions. Considering the pair were making their internationals debuts, it was a hugely positive start and showed signs of a partnership that should flourish on the world stage, the same as it has at club level. Chris Robshaw struggled at times as he carried the weight of the captaincy on his shoulders and made some sloppy errors that wouldn’t be expected of an England skipper. But just like so many others in the squad, Robshaw is learning how to handle himself on the international front and will undoubtedly improve as his England appearance number rises. England as a whole were solid, if largely unspectacular, and there were some good performances from the likes of Mouritz Botha, Tom Palmer and Phil Dowson which gave the visitors a firm foundation on which to go and build their victory over the Auld Enemy. Scotland were dangerous and had chances to take the win themselves, but England continued to put in the tackles and force the home side to make the extra pass, which they seemed to butcher on every occasion. So if Lancaster was looking for a massive regeneration at Murrayfield then this wasn’t it but I expect the England coach is hoping for a much more gradual rebuilding of his side. England should take great heart from a victory that was built on hard-work, togetherness and fight and for a young side to come away from Murrayfield with a result is an excellent start to their Six Nations campaign. This was a step on the right road but there were constant reminders that there is still a long way to go until the men in white find redemption. Rome wasn’t built in a day and England will be looking to storm the Italian fortress this Saturday when they travel to face the Azzurri. Ashley Lambell]]> http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/a_step_on_the_right_road.php http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/a_step_on_the_right_road.php Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:48:57 +0000
Julien Malzieu shone for France against Italy © Getty Images
Philippe Saint-André promised a pragmatic approach and Les Bleus delivered a clinical display in response to a spirited Italian side. While four tries scored to none conceded cannot be argued with, Saint-André and most who watched will know there is still a lot of work to be done. The loss of defence coach Dave Ellis doesn’t seem to have slowed down the French defence just yet, having a machine like Thierry Dusautoir certainly helps in that respect. Slightly more worrying was how easily Italy dominated possession for the first hour of the game, a team with a better fly-half than Kris Burton – which is every side in the tournament unless Andy Robinson sticks with Dan Parks – could have posed a serious threat. The scrum also creaked, and although one huge effort at the end of the first half led to Julien Malzieu’s try, Vincent Debaty still looks more impact sub than starter. On the positive side of things, Louis Picamoles brought his club form to the international stage and the ease with which he brushed off Sergio Parisse in the buildup to the second try was stunning. Malzieu finished that move in style, and while I’ve always had slight reservations about his top end speed, he definitely offers something different to any of our other wingers. In the centres Aurélien Rougerie was always dangerous and Wesley Fofana really grew into the game. The youngster looked at home on the international stage by the end of the match. Pascal Papé was probably the standout player in the front five, with Yoann Maestri perhaps in line for a first start next week ahead of an underwhelming Lionel Nallet. One disappointment was François Trinh-Duc, who seemed a little overawed at being first choice again, although he played his part in the first and third tries. The awful restarts put the side under pressure, but he’s not the first person to mess up a restart. All in all it was a satisfactory start, but Ireland will pose a greater threat next weekend. The scrum will need to function better to gain an advantage up front, the lineout could do with being a little smoother, and Trinh-Duc will need to settle quicker. I don’t expect major changes from Saint-André but with a little more time together we might see a few more strike moves unleashed on Ireland next week. Antoine Bonnin - @Rugby_en_bleu]]> http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/typically_pragmatic_win.php http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/typically_pragmatic_win.php Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:06:42 +0000
Alessandro Zanni prepares for the hit from Louis Picamoles © Getty Images
The Azzurri started the match determined to live up to Monsieur Brunel’s proposal to put their backs on the ball more and to face whoever features on the other side of the pitch as equals. For the first 30 minutes, apart from a single line break which as predicted resulted in a French essai, it looked like it was working, as Italy had the upper hand in the match. As Italy attacked, utilising a wide array of weapons at their disposal, the French countered with some ferocious tackling. The image of this trend was Kris Burton’s beautiful, long-distance drop goal. However, one could ponder whether the dams had finally burst when Les Bleus managed a textbook line break and try at the hands of centre Aurelien Rougerie. But, all was not lost by the restarting kick-off, because the Azzurri snatched the ball and the backs broke the French line, only for Burton to knock the ball on with the try line beckoning. Good news kept flowing as Italy’s forwards dominated the lineouts and the few mauls that formed - debutant Venditti wasn’t shying away from any plays nor contact and the next batch of garryowens resulted in a penalty call, for Burton. Then, the 30-minute mark was reached and things apparently return to normal. The first occasion when the Italian pack didn’t dominate, the French win a scrum, snatch the ball and the backs are caught off-guard. Textbook Malzieu try. At that time, Italy were beginning to look like a castle of cards, Burton’s kicking was not accurate nor timely, but luckily, the first half was through and the Azzurri had a chance to regroup and rally in the second. The second half started in a similar fashion to the first, and it was becoming clear that Sergio Parisse was Italy’s captain in more senses than one. One of his first clear runs in the second half resulted in a penalty and another three points. Nevertheless, the French's ability to capitalise on the opposition's mistakes is scary. After three more French points from a deep penalty, Burton committed a silly handling error which resulted in the French backs displaying all kinds of skill - be it from passing or low-kicking and dribbling association football style - culminating with a beautiful try by Vincent Clerc. Canale came on in place of Sgarbi in the hope of shaking up the quick-slumping backs and Botes came in as well to make his debut and log his first three points as a capped player from a penalty kick. The move also seemed to work when Italy launched a nice-looking attack from their defensive zone which only ended in an improbable Parisse handling error, but they managed to keep the ball just inside the French 22. At the halfway mark, the backs were putting together a valiant display - good enough to keep the French in their zone, although not to create clear scoring opportunities. However, as both sets of teams began to tire, it became clear that Les Bleus' skill and depth are overwhelming. Soon after Geldenhuys got sin-binned for virtually the remainder of the match, the French charged the 5-yard line and, despite spirited, fierce Italian defence, Wesley Fofana marked his own debut with a try - a well-deserved reward for his strong effort throughout the match. Italy's last hurrah came under the inspiring, tireless play of their captain, but the French defence never lost its cool for one second, and the Italian backs did. What looked like a single, honourable try in the making was for naught, resulting in a knock-on. In the end, despite respectable play by Italy, the Giuseppe Garibaldi trophy changed hands to the French, who have shown they have win-it-all material required. There is room for improvement and cause for hope, however. Further work on the part of the backs to minimise their mistakes should make this team a formidable one, especially at home. They may not be quite there yet, but keeping this trend will mean Italy will be evolve from being a dominant scrumming side with other players on the pitch to present themselves as strong a contender as any in a couple of seasons’ time. Keeping this up will depend on the growth of their domestic championships, but that’s another issue altogether. For now, let’s hope Monsieur Brunel can correct the more obvious mistakes on the back side so the Azzurri can present a respectable challenge to the defending champs England at the Olimpico, who will be coming off the Calcutta Cup win over Scotland. Forza Azzurri! Daniel Bergamasco - @Doubles666]]> http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/a_promising_if_underwhelming_s.php http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/a_promising_if_underwhelming_s.php Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:04:03 +0000
The ever dependable Dan Parks starts at fly-half for Scotland © Getty Images
With the Scotland selection there were less prickly issues than perhaps one would have hoped. Andy Robinson calmly sat in front of cameras and Dictaphones, press characters both English and Scots, and explained that his time came packaged with specific instructions. Within this announcement came the inherent assumption that England, backed by Andy Farrell and filled with Sarries stars, would play much like the Saracens club do every week as they grind down teams and knock the scoreboard over. This was perhaps Robinson’s most telling, and maybe only, gamble. It is a risk to assume this England side that all and sundry have been told is regenerating, rebranding and refocusing will play in any specific style. It is also a risk to assume that Lancaster would leave issues of identity to Farrell’s Jr. and Snr. and Hodgson. What if Chris Robshaw wants to stamp his authority on the game? What if the backline want to shape itself around snappy counter attacks with Foden and Ashton? For his part, Robinson does not care what impact Foden and Ashton will have. Despite what many may say he has been brave with his tactics. Indeed these tactics dictated selection. He made way for a few kids, sure, but that is because they suited the system that he thinks can defeat the English visitors. With this selection Robinson feels that his own counter and movement can defeat the assumed proto-Sarries England. So while everyone bemoans the return of the ever pragmatic Dan Parks few note that there is no real recognised kicker in the backline of R. Lamont, Jones, De Luca, S. Lamont and Evans. That is a backline designed to catch, move the point of attack and run flat out. So Parks starts at 10 so as to clear lines and play positional football. Cusiter is selected at 9 because he has the best box-kicking range in Scotland right now. He is also picked, though, because he is the quickest scrum-half with ball in hand and he can step out and sling long passes past Parks. He can get that back line that naturally drifts to the fringes running forward. De Luca is the link here and the Lamont brothers are his wrecking balls. If there is forward momentum De Luca, Scotland’s in form back right now, will be charged with slipping the ball to slight flyers Evans and Jones. As for the pack the front five is made up of Scotland’s best scrummagers, but also their most efficient ball carriers. They are direct and unglamorous. They get the yards and thump into rucks so that the rest can play rugby. Rugby on the move, of course, is what Robinson wants to play. He wants five players willing to ruck, harry and graft because, with the exception of Parks, he wants the rest of his team to be running with the ball in their hands posing questions to England’s new look defence. The back-row selected is Scotland’s most likely to play rugby at a sprint. Rennie is fast and smart, an offloading master. Strokosch is tireless and fond of latching on to an offload. Denton only knows one way: forward with ball in his mitts. Of course with such a mandate this Scotland side depends on solid set-piece and England kicking deep. If this happens Scotland will be ready for it. If not the first half could be fought in the trenches and Parks will take his drop goals. If it is worse than that? Scotland have options on the bench. If Scotland do not play around England’s pack and quickly run off of a Lamont in space, or they do not counter effectively then expect to see Blair and Laidlaw come on in the half-back positions and Barclay to play at openside. Scotland will look to be more compact, playing more from 10 and offloading less. The rucks will speed up and then, only then, will Laidlaw look to the fringes rather than going wide from the get go. He and Blair in tandem have the skills to do this. It will certainly be interesting. Calcutta Cups always are. However, how the game pans out depends entirely on which England turns up to Murrayfield, a place England have not won since 2004. Will they invite pressure onto themselves? Alan Dymock - Scottish Rugby Blog]]> http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/a_fresh_start.php http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/a_fresh_start.php Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:26:47 +0000
Sam Warburton has been retained as Wales skipper © Getty Images
Wales aren’t rebuilding. They’re planning an extension. Traditionally, the Six Nations tournaments which occur in a post-World Cup year are focused on rebuilding. It’s usually the point where the respective Unions roll out the bulldozers, demolish some crumbling structures and re-draw the blueprints for the next four years. Indeed some of the Six Nations participants have already begun drawing up their plans for the next four year cycle. Italy have a new head coach in Jacques Brunel, England temporarily have Stuart Lancaster, France have Philippe Saint André and Scotland have hired Scott Johnson (who is due to start in June but if rumours are to be believed could be there sooner). In contrast, Wales have rightly maintained the same coaching structure, one that will see Warren Gatland, Shaun Edwards and Rob Howley stay with the Welsh team until 2015. If all goes to plan, it will mean the Welsh team having nearly eight years of coaching stability, a luxury not afforded since the role of head coach was created in 1967. It is also worth mentioning that the IRFU seem to have forgotten to buy a calendar for 2012 and are inexplicably approaching this year in exactly the same way as they did the last. This new found consistency in the men who sit behind the laptops for Wales is also reflected in the squad they have selected. The bulk of Gatland’s squad has a very familiar look to it. The wonderfully balanced back row of Warburton, Lydiate and Faletau are there, Jamie Roberts and Jon Davies are in and Rhys Priestland, George North and Leigh Halfpenny are also included. Whilst these players seem comfortably familiar, they shouldn’t do really; not when you consider their age. Jamie Roberts is the oldest at 25, Warburton is 23, Faletau is 21, and North still qualifies to play for Wales’ Under 20’s squad. However Gatland’s successful policy of picking young, talented players combined with regular exposure in the RaboDirect PRO12 and Heineken Cup has made the majority of these players’ household names in the Northern Hemisphere. That’s not to say that Gatland’s squad has become the WRU’s crèche. It hasn’t. Gatland has selected ‘old heads’ too. Mike Phillips, Matthew Rees, Lee Byrne, James Hook, Adam Jones, Gethin Jenkins, Ryan Jones, Andy Powell, Paul James and Gavin Henson are all present ( I’m not even getting into the ‘Henson issue’ as the word count will spiral). But even Wales’s ‘old heads’ aren’t exactly greying. Wales’s most senior player in the initial squad was Lee Byrne who will be 32 in June. And whilst his age was brought into question following selection, he hardly ranks alongside some the grandfathers of the game like Simon Shaw and Brad Thorn who were both nearer 40 than 30 when they last played test rugby. It’s these solid foundations, laid at the World Cup, that have meant Gatland hasn’t needed to rebuild the main structure for the Six Nations. In fact, he’s just adding a new wing (and a centre, scrum-half, a prop or two and a couple of utility players). Ashley Beck’s sublime distribution skills, smooth change of direction and ability to offload beyond the gainline have seen him added to the squad. Becks presence means that Gatland now has a ‘ball player’ in his backline to add to his army of ‘ball carriers’. Alex Cuthbert brings yet another intimidating physical presence to the Welsh wing. At 6’6” and 16st 6lbs, he and North would become the largest wing combination currently playing in world rugby. Cuthbert’s straight line speed and subtle change of direction have made him one of the most effective finishers in Europe this season – he has scored 4 tries in just 5 Heineken Cup appearances. Rhys Webb has deservedly earned the third scrum-half spot. His role at the Ospreys may have been limited this season by the arrival of ex-Crusader Kahn Fotuali'i, but he has a quick pass, with minimal lateral crabbing – a rare skill amongst modern day scrum-halves, where taking a step to generate enough power on the pass has become the norm. Liam Williams, the 20 year old Scarlets fullback/wing, has retained his place in the squad having been part of the group that gathered to face Australia in December. Sanjay (as he is known) has a playing style that led Nigel Davies, the Scarlets coach, to compare him to JPR Williams. At 6’2” and just 13st 5lbs, he’s not the most impressive physical specimen on paper, yet on the field he is a blur of spiky elbows and kneecaps which make him unpleasant to tackle or compete with under the high ball. Justin Tupuric has once again been selected in the back row. He has had a great season. Along with Ashley Beck and few others, Tupuric has really stood out in a woeful Ospreys team. Whilst his ‘jackling’ falls just short of Sam Warburton’s (though that is hardly a criticism), his link play is the best of any seven playing in Wales. His inclusion in the final squad will give Wales a real advantage in the Six Nations, where few of the teams have access to one true open side, let alone two. Rhodri Jones, the versatile yet untested Scarlets prop has also made the cut, along with Lou Reed, whose impressive ball carrying displays have seen him take the fourth second row spot in the absence of Luke Charteris and Alun Wyn Jones. Saracen’s Rhys Gill has also been recalled to the squad, nearly two years after his solitary cap against Ireland. His scrummaging performances against the Ospreys have clearly caught Gatland’s eye and his inclusion is well deserved, but it once again calls into question the validity of ‘Gatland’s law’, whereby if you play outside of Wales you risk being ostracised from the Welsh squad. Although it must be said that if the Top 14 performances of Hook, Byrne and Phillips are anything to go by, a brief sojourn away from Wales could be just the ticket. Mike Phillips recently featured in Midi Olympique’s team of the week, which is no mean feat in a league whose scrum halves include Morgan Parra and Dimitri Yachvilli. But the most surprising addition to the 35 man squad has to be Harry Robinson – whom Gatland has likened to his namesake Jason. The 18 year old was Warren’s ‘bolter’, as they say in New Zealand. No-one saw it coming, and if they say they did, they’re lying. It almost seems disingenuous to say that he plays for the Cardiff Blues, as he’s only played for them 5 times, mostly from the bench – and he doesn’t even have a player profile on the Blues website. But his performances for the Welsh Sevens team have clearly caught the selector’s eye and Gatland now views the Wales Sevens squad as a genuine gateway into the senior Welsh set up. Gatland’s decision to continue selecting bright young things makes sense. The 2011 Rugby World Cup saw North, Priestland, Warburton, Lydiate and Faletau lead from the front, forcing more senior players into bit-part roles. James Hook is now essentially a bench player and Ryan Jones, who was the nation’s flame bearer two years ago, has now been reduced to holding the box of matches. But the effect of picking youngsters is also one of the reasons why Gatland hasn’t been forced into a major rebuild. Having a squad full of young players has meant minimal retirements - Shane Williams accepted rugby’s free bus pass of his own volition, whilst Stephen Jones had the indignity of having it forced into his breast pocket. (Although a recent injury to Rhys Preistland has seen the 34 year old Scarlet rightly reinstated into the squad – picking only two genuine outside halves in the initial party of 35 did seem a little careless). In all, Gatland’s 35 man squad is truly exciting. It is the deepest and most talented squad that Wales have had at their disposal since the game turned professional. And it goes to prove that whilst other nations are rebuilding, Wales are lucky enough to be planning an extension. Paul Williams - @thepaulwilliams]]> http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/extension_over_rebuilding.php http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/extension_over_rebuilding.php Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:00:56 +0000
England are hoping to experience a brave new dawn under Stuart Lancaster © Getty Images
After the announcement of Stuart Lancaster’s squad for the Six Nations, it will certainly be a new dawn when the England side take to the pitch to face Scotland on Saturday as they look to put the World Cup disaster firmly behind them. A changing of the guard had been predicted after the debacle in New Zealand but not many foresaw the omission of former mainstays such as Mike Tindall, Nick Easter and Riki Flutey. Instead, Lancaster opted for a rush of new blood as youngsters like Brad Barritt, Ben Morgan and Owen Farrell were given the nod to try and put right the wrongs of a few months ago. How they will respond to the challenge that has been set is up for debate, particularly when daunting trips to both Murrayfield and the Stade de France stand in the way of the new kids on the block. But youth tends to bring a sense of fearlessness and the nine uncapped players that England have included in their squad will not bear the mental scars of the World Cup or of previous Six Nations. Indeed only one of those nine, Phil Dowson, is over the age of 26. That is not to say that some of the more experienced heads will not have a part to play in the ‘new era’ of English rugby. The guidance of more senior figures such as Dylan Hartley, Toby Flood and David Strettle will prove crucial if the fresh faces are to succeed and play the type of entertaining and expansive rugby that Lancaster and his staff are calling for. Now is not the time for recklessness and the England management will hope that they have struck the right balance in their 32-man elite squad. For me, the starting line-up against Scotland in the opening game should reflect the way the squad has been selected and should include a mix of youth and experience, especially when the home supporters are sure to create an intimidating atmosphere as they attempt to distract some of the England newcomers. Hartley, Tom Croft, Chris Robshaw and Ben Foden should all be definite starters after putting in consistently impressive performances for their clubs over the past couple of months and their experience of the big occasions should turn out vital when they tackle the cauldron that is Murrayfield. Out of the nine uncapped players, I would like to see Joe Marler, Brad Barritt, Owen Farrell, Lee Dickson and Dowson all find a place in the starting XV in Edinburgh. My belief is that international players should always be picked on current form, not just on reputation, and all five of these players are performing superbly for their clubs at the present time and with their confidence riding sky high, they could be the perfect tonic as England look to step up their game. The starting line-up for the opening game will probably have been changed many times by Lancaster and his staff due to injuries to Tom Wood, Manu Tuilagi and Louis Deacon and the side that runs out at Murrayfield will be reshuffled from the one that the England management had in their head when they picked the initial squad. The injury to Wood also meant that Lancaster was forced to pick a new captain to lead the side against Scotland and Italy in the opening two matches of the competition. On Monday it was announced that Robshaw, who is also the skipper at Harlequins, would be the man to fill that particular vacancy. Despite Robshaw’s relative inexperience, having only been capped once by his country, the new management staff have decided that he is the perfect player to lead England into their brave new world. Lancaster was quick to point out that the skipper would be backed up by the experience of Foden, Croft and Hartley so he will not be without allies in the squad. Following the outcome of that decision, it is definitely going to be one of the most intriguing and fascinating Six Nations for England fans for many years as the side embarks on a new voyage with a new skipper. The only question is whether Lancaster and his players can steer England into calmer and more successful waters over the next few weeks. Predicted line-up vs Scotland: Ben Foden, Chris Ashton, Brad Barritt, Owen Farrell, David Strettle; Charlie Hodgson, Lee Dickson; Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley, David Wilson, Tom Palmer, Mouritz Botha, Tom Croft, Chris Robshaw, Phil Dowson Ashley Lambell]]> http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/brave_new_dawn.php http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/brave_new_dawn.php Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:34:43 +0000
Will Ireland take the prize at the end of the tournament without Brian O'Driscoll? © Getty Images
Ireland’s Six Nations campaign kicks off with Wales at home this Sunday. After a disappointing World Cup exit at the hands of Warren Gatland’s men, Ireland will be chomping at the bit to avenge that quarter final misery. Paul O’Connell will captain the team in the absence of talisman Brian O’Driscoll, who has been absent since returning from New Zealand and requiring surgery on a trapped nerve in his neck. Despite the loss of O’Driscoll, there is hope for Ireland - three provinces are through to the quarter final stage of the Heineken Cup and Leinster are leading the Pro 12 pack with both Munster and Ulster in contention for the play offs. If Declan Kidney can harness the form of the provinces, Ireland could stand a chance of success, but, Kidney has to try and balance the backs. Irelands pack almost picks itself but the backs are the key to success. On a side note, it is impossible for Kidney not to be thinking of the coveted 2013 Lions job. As laid back and dismissive of the topic “Deccy” is, he knows beating Wales would possibly give him the edge over fellow Lions hopeful, Warren Gatland. This gives us a juicy little sub plot to the opening game for these two. With Ireland being at home and Wales missing key players, Kidney may feel he has a slight advantage heading into the battle at the Aviva stadium in Dublin. So who is in with a chance of a place on the starting 15 against the Welsh? The highly competitive fly half position is the one everyone watches for - Ronan O’Gara has wound back the clock with his performances for Munster this year, kicking to near perfection in the Heineken Cup and helping Munster to a home quarter final along the way. Jonathan Sexton too has been in scintillating form, and while his kicking and game management are questioned by some he remains un-nerved and triumphant at Leinster. Sexton offers much more than just the tried and trusted boot to ball option, with ball in hand he is vastly superior and defensively is stronger than ROG, a point that is emphasized over and over by the Leinster faithful. O’Gara himself has said he is “happy to play the ultimate team man” - almost resigned to the fact that at 34 going on 35, he may very well be used as an impact sub. I think it will be Sexton to start with O’Gara coming off the bench to sure it up. Who completes the half back pairing is just as big a debate. Conor Murray burst his way into the Ireland team last year surprising many. The youngster has rose to prominence in Munster and with that has pushed Tomas O’Leary right down the pecking order. Leinster’s Eoin Reddan is the other option at scrum half and has a wealth of experience over Murray. Indeed Murray has been prone to errors and has not looked consistently at the top of his game. Reddan has often been criticized over his “slow ball” but the partnership with Sexton at Leinster may be a decisive factor in giving him the start. With O’Driscoll absent there is an extra place to be contested amongst the young hungry starlets of Irish rugby. Gordon D’Arcy and Tommy Bowe would be quietly confident of retaining their ever present status in the team while Rob Kearney has come back from injury to put his stamp all over the 15 jersey. With no Geordan Murphy or Luke Fitzgerald to be seen, it is impossible to look beyond the Leinster full back. This leaves the question of who partners D’Arcy in the centre and Bowe on the opposite wing. While I would like to see Fergus McFadden given a chance at 13, Kidney will more than likely opt for Keith Earls. Earls is not the greatest defensive centre in the world but does have quality in attack and this may be the reason he gets the nod over McFadden. Andrew Trimble has been a tour de force with Ulster this season. He was considered unlucky by many not to have played a bigger part in Irelands World Cup and now with an extra place available surely Kidney will have to see that Trimble is the best option to fill the vacant position. Ireland’s pack is almost set in stone; injuries to David Wallace and Leinster captain Leo Cullen leave little to savor in the competition for places. A formidable back row of Heaslip, O’Brien and Ferris has to be among the best in world. O’Connell and O’Callaghan will continue their long running second row partnership, while in the front row Mike Ross, Rory Best and Cian Healy will continue to give Irelands scrum a platform that had been missing for years. This means the team should look something like this: Ireland: Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe, Keith Earls, Gordon D’Arcy, Andrew Trimble, Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan, Cian Healy, Rory Best, Mike Ross , Donnacha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell (Captain), Stephen Ferris, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip Replacements: Sean Cronin, Tom Court, Donnacha Ryan, Conor Murray, Ronan O’Gara, Fergus McFadden, Paddy Wallace Kidney likes the tried and tested method. Some would feel that this is the time Ireland should begin blooding a new younger generation but Kidney will remain faithful and look to the veterans to provide that winning edge. I expect an Ireland win against Wales, which will give some momentum heading into their first away trip of this campaign - a romantic trip to Paris lies in wait on Valentines weekend. Danny Murray]]> http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/opting_for_tried_and_tested.php http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/02/opting_for_tried_and_tested.php Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:33:44 +0000
Italy's Sergio Parisse will once again be at the focus of the Azzurri side © Getty Images
The Azzurri will kick off their 2012 Six Nations campaign defending their hold of the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy, but they are, at best, long shots to do so. The French display incredible depth in the backs and will field a squad made up of the bulk of the team which came within two points of becoming world champions against the almighty All Blacks. Most of Italy’s Six Nations men also played in the World Cup - but the way they didn’t fare as well as their north western neighbours is symbolic of their strengths and weaknesses. Italy’s become a respectable side with the forwards at the forefront of everything they do well, namely Marco Bortolami, big Bergamasco, Sergio Parisse and Martin Castrogiovanni. However, the backs department is at least a notch below any other of the top-tier nations. This means that a couple of line breaks from the opposition, especially in the earlier minutes of any given Six Nations match, will be enough to establish a commanding lead and break the spirits of the Italians. For the Azzurri to repeat the feat of being Giuseppe Garibaldi champions, their forwards will have to be at the top of their game, as usual - but they will have to do so without the suspended Antonio Pavanello. It will be interesting to see how Monsieur Brunel deals with that while cutting the squad to 24 prior to next Saturday. Moreover, the mostly inexperienced backs must not make any mistakes and, at the same time, counter the Trinh-Ducs, Yachvilis, Rougeries et al. The French backs will also have to do their own part by experiencing an off night. And all of that at Saint Denis - neither an easy task nor a likely turn of events. The team I would like to see is Castrogiovanni, Ghiraldini and Lo Cicero in the front-row with Bortolami and Geldenhuys packing down behind them. Bergamasco, Parisse and Zanni would be my first choice back-row with Orquera, Canale, Sgarbi, Benvenuti and McLean all featuring in the backs. It is noticeable that apart from the exports to the English and French top Leagues, the remaining starters are all from either Aironi or Benetton Treviso, and amongst the 30-man squad named by Brunel, 11 come from the former and 14 from the latter. Predicting the extra nine - in addition to the 13 named above - who make the cut and start the match on the bench would be too wild of a guess, but it’s safe to say these Italian sides will provide most of the reserves for Saturday as well. This comes as no surprise that for what these players might lack in caps, they make do with Heineken Cup experience, especially on the backs side of the team. The exception that proverbially justifies the norm is the just-recently-bearded – youngster would be an understatement – Angelo Esposito, who plays for Ruggers Tarvisium. One could contemplate the fact he doesn’t hail from either Aironi or Treviso as indicative of Monsieur Brunel’s faith in his play. I, for one, foresee him making his debut at home, as being thrown in at Stade de France midway through the second half with the mission of rallying against Les Bleus sounds a little more than what an 18-year old - who hasn’t yet been described as the next Jonah Lomu - could handle. All in all, we should expect an entertaining match, both on the part of the Azzurri and of Les Bleus. As the tournament progresses, Italy hosting both England and Scotland at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico will be a brilliant sight. Hopes are high that they will overcome the Scots at home again, and what a story it would be to accomplish that at the Olimpico! Embarrassing the current European champions would be the perfect fairy-tale, and there’s no harm in dreaming. But for the opening day of the competition - here’s hoping that Italy will dominate the scrums and line-outs and will get on the scoreboard. But, who knows, anybody who can count on arguably the most rugged rugby players of the world – Castrogiovanni - has a chance of winning a rugby match. Plain and simple. Forza Azzurri! Daniel Bergamasco is a third generation Italian Brazilian who played rugby as a youngster and has been a keen follower since. He has no relation to nor displays any of the playing prowess of the Brothers Bergamasco, but it is a safe bet that their respective ancestors all hailed from the same northern Italian, Lombard province! Follow him on Twitter, @Doubles666.]]> http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/01/jumping_into_the_great_unknown.php http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/01/jumping_into_the_great_unknown.php Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:03:30 +0000
How will Andy Robinson's Scotland fare this year? © Getty Images
This year, Scotland could win a Grand Slam. There, I said it. Apologies for the spluttering mess you just made of your keyboard/ monitor/ smartphone, but it is true. Scotland can beat every team in this tournament. The problem is, pretty much every team can beat every other team in the tournament. Ireland or Wales could win a Grand Slam, even England might be capable of it. France definitely are, especially with a coach that is even halfway sensible. Italy might be stretching it, but they've beaten everyone save Ireland or England in the Six Nations and are increasingly influential on the tournament outcome. It's trying to string those performances together into a couple of months' worth of matches, rather than a couple of years, that makes the Six Nations harder to call with every year. In this post-World Cup year a lot of teams are in transition, possibly with the exception of Ireland (who should be). With this the furthest possible distance from the next one, now is the time to restart the building process for many. New coaches for some, new players for all. Scotland are no different. The question north of the border is: how fast will Andy Robinson make the changes the team needs and the fans want? The unexpected try-scoring success of the Edinburgh in the Heineken Cup and Glasgow's sudden discovery that they can win games they shouldn't really be in are both facets Robinson will hope to transfer to the national team. Many have called for him just to pick everyone who has had a half decent game in the last few months and stick them in a navy shirt. England will be similarly untested, so why not us too? Robinson, of course, is not that crazy. A large part of Edinburgh's success is down to a rampaging Fijian, a rampaging Dutchman and an Irish coach. Al Kellock, the nuggety leader of Glasgow who inspires them so well may no longer be one of the two best second rows. So change for change's sake is unlikely to be his mantra just yet. Some of his selections in the World Cup were a little conservative and he has clearly learnt from his choice of captain by picking Ross Ford, who is guaranteed a slot in the team. He has a nice blend of experience and youth in the training squad, but the problem remains which exact blend we will see come the 4th of February. The front 5 pretty much picks itself: Allan 'Chunk' Jacobsen, Ford, Murray (Cross if it's a Sunday), Gray and Hamilton is most likely the first string. That should give any opposition coach cause for concern at the set piece and in the loose. The back row is trickier. With the injury to Kelly Brown, David Denton looks a lot more likely to make the team, most likely at number 8. Despite a wealth of talent, Robinson's problem will remain who to pick and where, with Rob Harley, Al Strokosch and Denton all possible blindsides but our options at 8 strangely reduced of late with Johnnie Beattie's drop in form. Many in Scotland hope for the excellent and athletic Ross Rennie to finally claim his place at openside but questions remain over his fitness, and if Robinson has to pick an inexperienced 6 or 8 (or both) he may well opt for the experienced (but out of sorts) John Barclay there. Me, I'd love to see a Strokosch, Rennie, Denton back row. Greig Laidlaw is clearly the form standoff (1st 5/8 for our fraction loving New Zealand cousins) in Scotland, despite only having played there for Edinburgh occasionally since last year, having been a scrum-half to that point. He's proven brilliant at running a game from 9 or 10, and is a nerveless goal kicker. There is a groundswell of opinion calling for his inclusion in the team, but Robinson may well prefer to opt for the experience of Dan Parks. They are almost polar opposites: the quietly effective Borderer with a love of running; the talky Aussie with the mercurial boot. 10 may be Laidlaw's best chance of caps this time round anyway - Chris Cusiter and Mike Blair have both found form at the right time, and Rory Lawson is in the mix too. I'd go with Cusiter, but I wouldn't argue with giving Laidlaw and Blair the nod. 10 aside, as usual our problems will lie in the midfield. With Steven Shingler denied to us by the miserly Welsh, Graeme Morrison and Sean Lamont are the most likely choices at 12 but while they break the line often, also display a worrying unwillingness to pass the ball. So it might not matter who gets the nod outside them. If Joe Ansbro is fit, combining him and the resurgent Nick De Luca in the centre could be the best option. There are also the young guns Stuart Hogg and Lee Jones who offer pace and fearlessness to the back three. Jones may find it harder to get in the squad once Tim Visser qualifies. If he gets a chance, he'll look to take it now. I would imagine though that Robinson will go with Morrison, De Luca, Evans and the Lamonts. It might not be the most future-minded selection but if he also picked some new back-rowers and gave Laidlaw his chance at 10, we'd probably accept that. Okay, maybe the Grand Slam is a trip to Dublin too far, but we're quietly optimistic that the right selection from this group of players can do well in the tournament. That level of optimism could, however, be tempered by the Scotland team announced on Tuesday. Rory Baldwin is the editor of The Scottish Rugby Blog]]> http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/01/robinson_seeks_the_right_mix.php http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/01/robinson_seeks_the_right_mix.php Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:08:39 +0000
Will Thierry Dusautoir and Philippe Saint-Andre be grasping the Six Nations trophy come March? © Getty Images
Even by French standards the last World Cup brought with it a whole new level of unpredictability. It's still frustrating to think we were just two points from finally winning a world title but three months have eased the pain. Since then little has changed on the playing side of things but there is a new coaching staff in place. Nobody will ever compete with Marc Lièvremont on the eccentricity front but the man known as le Goret (the pig) could make France a more consistent team. Philippe Saint-André has made his name through having strong packs with big ball carriers and a good kicking fly-half to organise the game. His modus operandi might seem ironic given some of the exciting teams he played in, but Saint-André really is the prop in winger’s clothing par excellence. We have already been warned not to expect French flair, good discipline and a strong set-piece are more likely to be the order of the day. We’ll have a good idea of how conservative he is going to play it when he names his fly-half. Lionel Beauxis and his booming boot have come back into contention for the first time in two years. However François Trinh-Duc is just about the man in possession, now the Morgan Parra experiment is officially over, and the Montpellier man is on fire in the Top 14. The worry is that Saint-André will go with Beauxis, but even his safety-first approach should see the better runner, passer and tackler get the nod, especially after Trinh-Duc’s boot set up all four Montpellier tries in their thrashing of Stade Français on Friday. There has been a favourable response to Saint-André’s appointment in the UK, but in France his stock is perhaps a little lower after an underwhelming stint in Toulon under big-spending, maverick owner Mourad Boudjellal. But after the ever-entertaining regime of Lièvremont, perhaps a little stability wouldn’t be a bad thing. In terms of selection there have been a few surprises, and the loss of Thomas Domingo to injury and poor form of Fabien Barcella mean David Attoub and Vincent Debaty could both get chances in the front row. Debaty is a great ball carrier but widely derided for his ability at the coalface in the scrummaging haven that is the Top 14, Attoub offers less dynamism but is less of a gamble in the scrum. Yoann Maestri and Wesley Fofana should make their debuts, the former has long been touted as the next great French second row, the latter has been shredding backlines domestically and in Europe for Clermont. For the rest it is much of the same, not surprising when you have the talent of Thierry Dusautoir and Imanol Harinordoquy to call on. Expect to see more of Louis Picamoles who is having a barnstorming season for Toulouse, and the return of Julien Malzieu is well-deserved. The worries could come up front with William Servat not quite the force of old, though not ready to be written off just yet, and the aforementioned dearth of props behind Jean-Baptiste Poux and Nicolas Mas. The schedule is kind with England and Ireland both travelling to Paris and an early chance of revenge over Italy, while we’ve only lost once in our last seven at Murrayfield and once this millennium in Cardiff. As ever with Les Bleus it’s impossible to know what will happen but anything less than four wins would probably be disappointing given the schedule and the experience of the squad. Preferred team: Medard, Clerc, Rougerie, Fofana, Malzieu, Trinh-Duc, Parra, Poux, Servat, Mas, Papé, Maestri, Dusautoir, Harinordoquy, Picamoles Antoine Bonnin]]> http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/01/new_found_pragmatism_under_le.php http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2012/01/new_found_pragmatism_under_le.php Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:06:15 +0000
Look at what you could have won: France coach Marc Lievremont looks longingly at the World Cup © Getty Images
So France became the first nation to play in the Rugby World Cup and not win a single title. But this time they so nearly made it. A one-point defeat is the smallest winning margin in any World Cup finale and so slender was the All Blacks’ advantage at the final whistle, it is a record that will live forever and that will bring some comfort to French fans. We all know how lucky Les Bleus (playing in white this time as if they were prepared to "surrender" to a whole nation that has been waiting for a World Cup victory since 1987) were to make it to the final but in the final they did everything they could to be worthy of their fortune. There has been a long tradition of celebrating "glorious losers" in French sport and this game will definitely enter this particular "Hall of Blame" with referee Craig Joubert joining the square posts of Hampden Park that helped decide the 1976 European Cup Final between Bayern Munich and AS Saint-Etienne and the video referee for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Final between Italy and France. France dominated everywhere (scrums, lineouts, territory and possession), but not in one crucial aspect - penalty kicks that could be converted! Piri Weepu missed quite a few to add to the drama and ensure a score that was a fairer reflection of the game itself. Referees are only human and at least French rugby fans will at least have something to share with their Welsh counterparts when they meet in the Six Nations in Cardiff next year. If France had only found some belief a bit earlier in the contest then they could be world champions right now. But in the end, the best southern hemisphere side of the past 10 years (7 Tri-Nations) defeated the best northern hemisphere team of the same period (3 Grand Slams). There is some kind of logic behind this, even if the final didn't reflect the rest of the tournament. With four victories and three defeats (including a shameful one against Tonga) France do not have much to be proud of. The only difference is that they produced their best game in the final, and not in the semi-final like they did in 1987 and 1999 or in the quarter-final like they did in 2003 and 2007. Some players will need time to recover from their wounds, such as François Trinh-Duc, who landed in New Zealand as the starting No.10 and finished as the back-up scrum-half. Clearly, coach Marc Lièvremont's management style hurt. Philippe Saint-André, who will take over officially on December 1, will have a lot to work on and not just on the attacking skills. Let's just hope that the four years he will have to work with before the next World Cup in England will bring him more certainties that his predecessor had, so France can at last put their hands on the William Webb Ellis trophy. As for the All Blacks, they now need to prove they can win a World Cup outside New Zealand. Jean Palfrey]]> http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2011/11/_xxxxxx_getty_images_2.php http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2011/11/_xxxxxx_getty_images_2.php Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:37:31 +0000
Centurion Nathan Sharpe reflects on the bronze final © Getty Images
So Australia’s World Cup is officially over with a gutsy win over the Welsh to take third place. And while the merits of even playing this game over and above being a money-spinner may well be argued (especially given the high injury toll incurred by the Wallabies) it was nice to go out with a victory after the disappointment of last week. Australia finally seemed keen to run the ball instead of kicking it away relentlessly, which was really pleasing to see. Equally as pleasing was the fact that they did not abandon this plan entirely with the loss of Quade Cooper and Kurtley Beale so early on. Obviously territory is crucial, and the reshuffle of the back line meant some coherency was lost. This increased the need for tactical kicking; however the kicking was also far more purposeful and effective than last week, with Berrick Barnes playing a big part. The fact that it took basically a dead-rubber for Australia to finally play some enterprising rugby is frustrating. They looked good with ball in hand and while you have to earn the right to run the ball by winning the forward battle, seeing a bit more of this during the campaign would have been refreshing. With running however comes risk and Wales were able to get five turnovers in the first half. This will be a concern for the Wallabies; however the Welsh were not able to punish Australia like the All Blacks were able to. This will be the biggest thing for the Wallabies to address moving forward. Effectiveness at the breakdown was costly against the Irish and left us unable to compete in the semi-final. Stalling opposition momentum and recycling our own ball quickly on a consistent basis - David Pocock has been highly competitive on both sides of the ruck, but across the park, the Wallabies will need to be more aggressive moving forward. James O’Connor was again strong, and has proven to be one of the big positives to come from this tournament. Despite some early jitters with his kicking, he was cool enough to kick the match-winning penalty against the Springboks and some pressure kicks again against Wales which proved decisive. Add this to his strong midfield running and the fact he is just 21, he is going to help spearhead this young Wallabies side for many years to come. Any reflection on this World Cup would be incomplete without talking about Quade Cooper, who had had a tournament he would rather forget. But despite all the jeers and scrutiny, the way he handled himself off the field was excellent. He, took all the criticism on the chin but never lowered himself to retaliate or cry about it, just went out and tried to give his best. That was why it was especially disappointing to see him get such a horrible injury when we were starting to see some signs of form returning. Yes, it might have been a little too late, but on his day he is one of the most exciting players in the world to watch. With his knee injury set to sideline him from the upcoming Northern Hemisphere tour, Cooper will have time to reflect on the roller coaster that this year has been. This will also provide an opportunity for him to steel himself for next season. I have no doubt that he will return far stronger mentally, and with the amount of talent he has, will be a huge part of Australia’s plans for some time yet. The Wallaby players and coaching staff will all have learned a lot from this campaign. Beating New Zealand and winning the Tri-Nations was an amazing achievement, but there is still a mountain of work to be done if we want to compete against the benchmark All Blacks on a consistent basis. So where now for the Wallabies? Home and a brief rest before a short, two-match Northern Hemisphere tour starting late November. This includes a rematch against Wales in Cardiff and a Barbarians match at Twickenham. Given the host of players will be unavailable due to injury, it will be interesting to see the strategy and selections that Deans goes with. Moving Barnes into the fly-half role should be a given and perhaps O’Connor may get his chance in the centres, but apart from that it should provide Deans with a good chance to try some new things. As disappointing as it is to have to wait four years for the next World Cup, we will get our chance to face off against the All Blacks next year. That should be our main focus rather than where we will be in four years time. Simon Furey]]> http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2011/10/wallabies_secure_bronze_with_i.php http://blogs.espnscrum.com/fanzone/archives/2011/10/wallabies_secure_bronze_with_i.php Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:25:06 +0000