France Rugby

France Rugby

Search

Social Bookmarking

Add to: Digg Add to: Del.icio.us Add to: Reddit Add to: StumbleUpon Add to: Google Add to: Technorati

Page 1 of 25 in the France category Next Page
Saturday, July 05, 2008


James Horwill: '...I'm scared of try-lines...'

Australia: 40: Tries: P Hynes, J Horwill, R Cross 2 Cons: M Giteau 4 Pens: M Giteau 4
France: 10: Tries: F Trinh-Duc Cons: D Yachvili Pens: F Trinh-Duc

Matt Giteau was majestic as the Wallabies gave the French a southern hemisphere masterclass to make it three wins out of three under Robbie Deans.

Giteau kicked eight out of eight and was instrumental for all four Australian tries to ensure a 2-0 series whitewash and record the Wallabies highest ever win over Les Bleus.

The joy was shortlived after injuries to the luckless Cameron Shepherd and sparkling Berrick Barnes overshadowed a comfortable victory.

Replacement Ryan Cross bagged a brace, adding to earlier scores from wing Peter Hynes and James Horwill, who kept up his 100% scoring record in Tests.

Giteau's pinpoint cross-field kick was gobbled up by Hynes for his and Australia's first score in front of his adoring local crowd. The influential playmaker kept the score ticking over with a string of penalties as only Sebastien Chabal showed any real signs of commitment and force.

The Western Force star swivelled away from trouble before unleashing a devastating reverse pass to young lock Horwill, whose over-embelished dive drew comparisons with a fat bloke doing a belly-flop.

But Australia's try-scorer's evening was cut short after copping a corker from Imannol Harinordoquy, which was probably a sign of karma for erupting a melee just before half-time.

Cross split the flat French defence from a sharp Giteau pass for his first before grabbing one of his less challenging tries to wrap up an embarrassing one-sided contest, even though there was just enough time for Francois Trinh-Duc to score a consolation.

Tuesday, July 01, 2008


Francois Trinh-Duc avoids the axe...

Despite saying he wouldn't, Marc Lievremont just couldn't resist making sweeping changes to his starting lineup for the second Test against Australia in Brisbane,

Of the 11 changes, seven are new starters and three are positional with Francois Trinh-Duc taking the reigns at fly-half, Benjamin Thiery moving to full-back and Imonal Harinordoquy shifting to number eight.

Maxime Mermox and Thibault Lacroix form a new centre pairing while Marc's brother Matthieu Lievremont starts at six in place of Louis Picamoles.

France: 15 Benjamin Thiery, 14 Alexis Palisson, 13 Maxim Mermoz, 12 Thibault Lacroix, 11 David Janin, 10 Francois Trinh-Duc, 9 Sebastian Tillous-Borde, 8 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 7 Imanol Harinordoquy, 6 Matthieu Lievremont, 5 Lionel Nallet (captain), 4 Sebastien Chabal, 3 Renaud Boyoud, 2 Sebastien Bruno, 1 Pierre Correia.

Replacements: 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Benoit Lecouls, 18 David Couzinet, 19 Louis Picamoles, 20 Yannick Caballero, 21 Dimitri Yachvili, 22 Jean-Baptiste Peyras.

Sunday, June 29, 2008


You can have the leg but i want some breast...


Australia (10) 34

Tries: Giteau, Sharpe, Elsom, Mortlock Cons: Giteau 4 Pens: Giteau 2

France (6) 13

Try: Palisson Con: Trinh-Duc Pens: Yachvili 2

It was another step in the right direction for Australia and coach Robbie Deans as the Wallabies overpowered a hungry French side.

It was a bad case of sloppy seconds for the French paid the price for 13 missed tackles in an early second-half purple patch, when they scored 24 unanswered points in 15 minutes.

Deans would've been pleased with Australia's recovery from a shabby opening half when they sank to the poor French standards.

The scoreboard flattered the hosts, but under the new regime and old laws, the green and gold supporters have plenty to be encouraged with ahead of the Tri-Nations.

Pocket genius, Matt Giteau sparked the Wallbies into life after skating around a sluggish Sebastien Chabal for the gamebreaker.

Deans looks to have uncovered a bright future at half-back with Luke Brgess and Giteau lively throughtout.

The industrial Nathan Sharpe was rewarded for a fine performance with a superb second for Australia before the departing Rocky Elsom and a trademark interception from Stirling Mortlock added further tries to complete the home scoring.

The French unfamiliarity showed, but Lievremont insists the guys nursing aches and pains from a very physical encounter, will get another crack at the whip in the second Test, and another opportunity to force their way into his Autumn plans.

Alexi Palisson's debut try proved scant consolation for France, who lacked the penatrative imagination to pierce the watertight Wallaby defence.

Friday, June 27, 2008


Stephen Larkham: '...This taxi's mine...'

The last seven days under old laws. Hardly ideal preparation for the Wallabies, who must quickly turn their attention back towards the ELVs for the impending Tri-Nations.

Why oh why do the Federation Francaise de Rugby insist the Top 14 runs deep into June? Poor Marc Lievremont is getting the fairest of runs at the top job. A heavy defeat in Sydney and  the the current French coach could be marginalised completely.

Robbie Deans' tenure began with an unconvincing display against the Irish albeit 'Dingo's' entrance examination was ultimately undermined by the rule changes.

Australia can expect a bit more freedom to express themselves against the French as Les Bleus will too ship the ball around and exercise the mobility of an athletic back-row. However, with a back-row including Messrs Palu, Elsom and ball burglar George Smith, the French could quite easily be playing into the Wallaby fly-trap.

Francois Trinh-Duc gets the baptism of fire at outside centre, taking on Sitrling Mortlock, and the Franco-Vietnemese young pup will need all of Damien Traille's experience inside him to release the burgeoning brilliance of Alexis Palisson.

Palisson has laid down the gauntlet to the world's form wing in Lote Tuqiri, which is commendable considering he is a novice at 20 and just 11 games in the Top 14 for Brive. Still should be something worth watching if the contest becomes slightly one sided as expected.

Humiliation is something both sides are used too. Australia and France are both still hurting from back-to-back World Cup heartbreaks against the English, but this is a new era - new coaches, fresh faces, change in attitudes.

28th June 1919, The Treaty of Versailles was signed, punishing Germany both territorialy and financially for its role in the First World War, but while territory and finance have been central issues in the build-up for Saturday's game, war is definitely written on the agenda.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008


Benoît Lecouls:Are you Flatman in disguise?

Marc Lievremont's rich vein of experimentation continues to give editors headaches by naming just one survivor from the World Cup semi-final defeat to England giving two debuts to relatively unknown duo, Alexis Palisson and Benoît Lecouls.

France have not beaten the Wallabies since 1990 and without a litter of stars including Cedric Heymans, Sylvian Marconnet, Thierry Dusautoir and Aurelien Rougerie, Lievremont has been forced into using the Australian tour as a means to check out what reserves he can call upon.

Robbie Deans has had a quiet couple of weeks without the stresses of injuries nor selection dilemmas. Australia remain unchanged from the 18-12 defeat of Ireland with Matt Giteau continuing a fly-half and George Smith preferred to Phil Waugh at openside.

France: 15 Pepito Elhorga, 14 Alexis Palisson, 13 Damian Traille, 12 François Trinh-Duc, 11 Benjamin Thiéry, 10 Benjamin Boyet, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Louis Picamoles, 6 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 5 Sébastien Chabal, 4 Lionel Nallet (c), 3 Benoît Lecouls, 2 Sébastien Bruno, 1 Lionel Faure.
Replacements: 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Renaud Boyoud, 18 David Couzinet, 19 Mathieu Lièvremont, 20 Sébastien Tillous-Borde, 21 Thibault Lacroix, 22 David Janin.

Australia: 15 Cameron Shepherd, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Stirling Mortlock (c), 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 George Smith, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 James Horwill, 3 Matt Dunning, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Adam Freier, 17 Al Baxter, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 Phil Waugh, 20 Sam Cordingley, 21 Ryan Cross, 22 Adam Ashley-Cooper.

Page 1 of 25 in the France category Next Page