The Frogs have selected their B team for the AB match in order to arrange a better chance to the play-offs.
Peter Bills, IOL
France have devalued the most eagerly waited World Cup game for four years and cocked a massive snoop at the IRB.
Franch coach Marc Lievremont has chosen virtually a second-string pack of forwards
for the clash with New Zealand on Saturday.
It was France that put the Kiwis out of the 2007 RWC and Kiwi fans have waited ever since for the chance of revenge but Saturday’s re-match has been made an irrevelance by the deliberate French selection.
The French have clearly calculated that they can beat the likes of England and Ireland could then reach the final. Should they finish group winners they would almost certainly have to play South Africa or Australia.
The IRB has a problem here, for it may well set a precedent. For example, Ireland’s win over Australia may have been disastrous for the Wallabies but it was a nightmare for South Africa.
South Africa can gain if they lose to Samoa and then go into the NH dominated half of the draw.
As things stand, the IRB would appear powerless to stop this kind of tactical manipulation. But it is making a joke of the WC and IRB officials should be mightily concerned.
France team
15. Traille, 14. Clerc, 13. Rougerie, 12.Mermoz, 11. Medard, 10. Parra, 9. Yachvili.
8. Picamoles, 7. Bonnaire, 6. Dusautoir (c), 5. Pape, 4. Nallet, 3. Ducalcon, 2. Szarzewski, 1. Poux.
Bench: 16. Servat, 17. Barcella, 18. Pierre, 19. Harinoduqay, 20. Trinh-Duc, 21. Estebanez, 22. Heymans.
elcamino
ROOILEEU
Tina
logan
Deon
Thomas_Bulls
garyj1-Bulls
Aldo
Amethyst
Methos The French Stormer
KingPaul
JT_BOKBEFOK!
trevormayhew
RUGGA_MIND
Pokkel
Quinn25
Marcel
namboer
moose
Jacques(Bunny)Somtimes I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits
Vernonimous
Pom in Joburg
Watte
niekie
Dante
Panther
Vetgesmeerde Blits
bryce_in_oz
Kozac
Blokkies
Number12_Lions
Brutus2
Lehe6
Estian Nortier
DavidS
johanleroux13
Morné
Tafelberg
pietstreak
Ollie
Koos
September 20th, 2011 at 5:49 pm
French men are well used to surrender
they see no fault in it.
its a good thing french women
are so full of character.
September 20th, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Maybe now the IRB idiots will change the format of the WC
September 20th, 2011 at 7:26 pm
Reply to Jacques(Bunny)Bokke!!! @ 6:59 pm:
No
They’ll wait till South Africa do it…
September 20th, 2011 at 7:43 pm
Q. What is the first thing the French Army teaches at basic training?
A. How to surrender in at least 10 languages.
Q. What is the most useful thing in the French Army?
A. A rearview mirror, so they can see the war.
Why does Nike like the French Army?
Because, in war time, they are the biggest buyers of running shoes.
September 20th, 2011 at 8:41 pm
Toppie,
had a little dig at ou Dodge and the kiwis
but left this time
before the bars clamped down
probaly be on Kiwi TV that T-shirt
September 20th, 2011 at 9:07 pm
I hope that SA never contemplates ‘throwing’ a game. Ireland and Australia both pose a threat. By now SA should know what they have to do to beat the Wobblies.
OTOH, Darren, maybe this is ze zecret Fwech weapon.
September 20th, 2011 at 9:12 pm
Reply to Duiwel @ 8:41 pm:
probaly be on Kiwi TV that T-shirt
—–
That may prove that they indeed have
a sense of humour.
September 20th, 2011 at 9:30 pm
I am wondering a bit at where the French “we surrender” myth comes from…
I suspect that it comes from the Americans in WW2 because that is the only time the French were royally thrashed…
There are several historical records of French fighting with distinction.
At the battle of Tours for instance the French single handedly ended the previously victorious Islamic Western invasion of Europe.
In Mexico the Foreign Legion battalion escorting a wagonload of gold bullion fought till only seven soldiers remained alive out of 800… with no bullets remaining and the seven fixed bayonets and charged the thousands of Mexicans encircling them…
At Dien Bien Phu the French Foreign Legion fought to the last man and bullet.
There is no record of American soldiers ever ever ever fighting to the last man and bullet… whenever faced with a similar situation like for instance at Corregidor in the Phillipines… the Yanks surrendered in droves… similarly in the initial drives in the Ardennes forest the in 1944 the Yanks quickly threw the guns in and raised the hands…
The troops who initially stopped the German WW1 advance was the French…
Napoleon’s troops were French
In Algeria several French troopers fought to the last man and bullet when trapped in Beau fortresses…
I think the Yanks are actually full of it…
September 20th, 2011 at 9:48 pm
Reply to DavidS Bok on his heart not his shoulder @ 9:30 pm:
Hi ERT
Must “habituaLLy” “diFfer” from You
How do you reference ” The Alamo” in your statement? *
TechnicaLLy wiFF you being a lawyer and aLL even Ol Whiskers George Armstrong Custer’s Brainfart resort as a “non- suRRender” maybe not out of choice though.
Or is it because of them being Texicans and not yet part of the Union?
September 20th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Alamo were never offered the surrender option and of course they were Texicans not Americans and they also fought in the mistaken belief that Houston was going to arrive and rescue them at any minute…
Custer got no choice… Indians gave no quarter since they were given none.
The point though is that it’s damnably rich of the Americans to use a single battle to determine this attitude towards a whole nation when historically it is totally inaccurate.
September 20th, 2011 at 10:04 pm
Oh yes and how could I forget TaFFy 3?
SoRRy ERT
Your statement against the Yanks is reaLLy dodgy
This is however a gOOde read
http://listverse.com/2009/08/28/10-heroic-last-stands-from-military-history/
September 20th, 2011 at 10:07 pm
I now hope the AB moer them with 70 points
September 20th, 2011 at 10:24 pm
Reply to Oranje Orakel @ 10:04 pm:
Tainted by hatred undoubtedly…
Have you read the one of the Viking a Stanford Bridge…
That list is inveterate American kak
Bastogne and the naval ones were NOT last stands and neither was Rorke’s Drift…
I can name better solely British examples than any of those Yank kak ones
Khartoum
Maranatha rebellion
Isandlwana
Gloworm vs Hipper
Dien Bien Phu
REAL last stand courage not proto American inventionism kak
September 20th, 2011 at 10:28 pm
Encircled British in Afghanistan offered surrender and safe passage back to the Khyber:
“Not bloody likely”
Again fought to the last man and bullet…
Bastogne was just a siege by Volksgrenadiers… the Germans never seriously challenged McAullife’s seasoned veterans BUT light infantry paras… Had it been Kampfegruppe Peiper it’d been McAuliffe’s nuts hanging on a tree… because he would have ripped them off with the speed he’d have been running from the King Tigers
September 20th, 2011 at 10:38 pm
September 20th, 2011 at 10:41 pm
Die Mier se Boet het ‘n goeie stuk geskryf -wat OOk DelviLLe Bos beskryf
IntereSSante tyd met die 100 jarige herdenkings van WW1 wat vOOrle.
September 21st, 2011 at 4:18 am
Reply to Oranje Orakel @ 10:41 pm:
Can you give me a reference so I can read it. The school I went to had a cross made out of one of the trees that was not matchwood and the blood-stained regimental flag.