Match Preview - Wallabies vs France
November 21, 2008 - 3:35pm
Story by: ARU
After the euphoria of the Qantas Wallabies triumph over England at Twickenham last Saturday the Men of Gold could be excused for basking in the glow of victory.
But on this 2009 Spring Tour, after one mountain is scaled the next even bigger one rises up ahead.
And make no doubt as you tuck into your croissants on Sunday morning at 7am (AEDT) the challenge of France at Stade Francais in Paris is on par, and perhaps even tougher, than England in London.
The French are nothing if unpredictable.
Sometimes they can de disappointing, as they were when they toured Australia back in June-July this year, but other times they can be enthralling, as they were when they knocked the All Blacks out the Rugby World Cup last October in Cardiff.
Just when you think they are going to excel, they often fall in a heap, and just when you count them out, they come up with the most unlikely of victories.
France’s form over the last month has been patchy and they are certainly yet to hit their straps under their new, inexperienced and very young, coach Marc Lievremont.
Certainly there are no questions about the former international’s ability as a player but as a coach his credentials are less established, especially at Test level.
France scraped through to a 12-6 (four penalties goals to two) victory over Argentina in Marseille a fortnight ago and then were unconvincing 42-17 winners over the Pacific Islands last Saturday.
This result looks even scratchier when you consider that the Islanders played over an hour with 14 men after winger Napolioni Nalaga was (quite correctly) sent off after a late-high tackle on French scrumhalf Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, which saw Elissalde stretchered off unconscious and ruled him out of this weekend’s clash.
Australia in comparison were rigorous in their conquering of England at Twickenham with a scrummaging display that was the best in recent memory. Although the Wallabies were un-spectacular they put together a consistent 80-minute performance and emerged as worthy winners.
It’s not surprising then that Australia start, with European bookies, as narrow favourites for this match and it is a game the Men of Gold could, and perhaps should, win.
But to win this game the Wallabies will need to pick up exactly where they left off last Saturday – right from the kick-off - and play structured, disciplined Rugby.
With the big Parisian Saturday night crowd (Sunday morning 7am AEDT) wanting to get behind their team the Men of Gold will need to stop Les Bleus building rhythm and momentum.
The Wallabies defence, so impressive in London, must be just as complete against France and shut down Les Bleus without a sniff of a possibility.
The Men of Gold must get on top of France early and then pin them down for 80-minutes. Or the Gallic flair may be difficult to counter. As New Zealand discovered so painfully last year, you let the French build up confidence and passion and they are unstoppable.
This is third time the Wallabies have met France this year with the Wallabies triumphing in Sydney (34-13) and Brisbane (40-10) in June-July.
The Brisbane score was a record against France and the memory of that “Wall”-oping will still be fresh in the minds of the French players involved that night.
But this of course is a very different French team. In all there are just nine survivors from the decimation in Brisbane – five in the starting line up and four more on the bench.
The French backline is almost completely new with the only remnant of Brisbane, the Castres scrumhalf Sebastien Tillous-Borde, who only wins his place in the starting line up due to the injury to No.1 pick Elissalde.
Interestingly though four of the forward pack from Brisbane, so outplayed that evening, do hold their spots – No.8 Imanol Harinordoquy, openside flanker Fulgence Ouedraogo and locks Sebastien Chabal and captain Lionel Nallet.
With Wycliff Palu back at No.8 for the Wallabies, joining George Smith, there’s no reason why the Men of Gold won’t dominate at the breakdown again and Nathan Sharpe and the always improving Hugh McMeniman should win their share of ball in the lineouts.
The French frontrow is completely re-modelled and certainly mobile hooker Dimitri Szarzewski, sort of like a Gallic Bismarck du Plessis, adds much to this French team.
But with the Wallabies front three on a high from last Saturday there’s no reason they can’t match the French again, even with “Little Ben” Alexander in for the rested “Big Benn” Robinson, one of the Wallabies players of the year to date in 2009.
So with the Wallabies matching, even perhaps shading the forward battle, it will come down to the backs and again there is room for more than hope.
Australia are finding a clinical edge to their backline play and with another week under their belt the midfield combination of Matt Giteau, Stirling Mortlock and Ryan Cross will lift another notch.
And if Gits continues to kick as well as he done all year – an amazing 85% success rate in Tests – that will also go a long way to assuring a Wallabies victory.
With the muscle of Palu to protect him, Luke Burgess may get more time and space than against England and the back three of Drew Mitchell, Peter Hynes and Adam Ashley-Cooper have more than shown they can take their chances.
And South African referee Craig Joubert will again promote anopen game, which will help the Men of Gold.
So all the signs are good for another Wallabies win – and that, unfortunately, is when you fear France most.
But looking at the most likely probability – this France team suddenly finding their feet and putting on a commanding performance or the Wallabies building on last week with another solid (and winning) performance – a conservative punter would pump for the latter.
But predicting a result against France is a very hazardous past time, so we won’t do it here.
However if you want omens – look to the Wallabies bench and you’ll spot a face who was there when the Wallabies last beat France in Paris in 2000, scrumhalf Sam Cordingley.
All going to plan this may be another prosperous trip to the French capital for the veteran Reds No.9.
The Wallabies to win, just don’t tell France.
The match will be shown live across Australia on Foxsports on Sunday morning November 23rd (check local times) and on Channel Ten live in to Sydney and Melbourne and delayed into Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide (again check local times).
Qantas Wallabies :
15. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies), 14. Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds), 13. Ryan Cross (Western Force), 12. Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies) (captain), 11. Drew Mitchell (Western Force), 10. Matt Giteau (Western Force), 9. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs), 8. Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs), 7. George Smith (Brumbies), 6. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs), 5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force), 4. Hugh McMeniman (Queensland Reds), 3. Al Baxter (NSW Waratahs), 2. Stephen Moore (Queensland Reds), 1. Ben Alexander (Brumbies).
Replacements:
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs), 17. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs), 18. Mark Chisholm (Brumbies), 19. David Pocock (Western Force), 20. Sam Cordingley (Queensland Reds), 21. Quade Cooper(Queensland Reds), 22. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
France
15. Maxime Medard, 14. Julien Malzieu, 13. Benoit Baby, 12. Yannick Jauzion, 11. Cedric Heymans, 10. David Skrela, 9. Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 8. Imanol Harinordoquy, 7. Fulgence Ouedraogo, 6. Thierry Dusautoir, 5. Lionel Nallet, 4. Sebastien Chabal, 3. Nicolas Mas, 2. Dimitri Szarzewski, 1. Lionel Faure.
Replacements: 16. Benjamin Kayser, 17. Benoit Lecouls, 18. Romain Millo-Chluski, 19. Louis Picamoles, 20. Julien Tomas, 21. Damien Traille, 22. Alexis Palisson.
Date: Saturday, November 22
Venue: Stade de France
Time: 21:00 (07:00 Sunday November 23 AEDT)
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Touch judges: Chris White (England) , David Changleng (Scotland)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Assessor: D Kerr (Scotland)
