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'13 WC | QF3 | England 34-6 France | Wigan

Quarter Final 3: England v France


  • Total voters
    18
  • Poll closed .

Burns

First Grade
Messages
6,041
If France could actually execute plays they would be near level with England, argh
 

Springs

First Grade
Messages
5,682
Is Widdop any real chance of playing next week or is he that far on the outer ?

30 minutes in 4 games, doesn't sound very popular with the coach.

At the very least, Widdop won't make all the stupid mistakes Chase does, even if he doesn't offer anything more in attack (in my opinion he offers much more).
 

Springs

First Grade
Messages
5,682
Great, Chase sets up a try, now McNamara will say he had a good game.

That's a dive from the French player.
 

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
5,536
I would even consider playing Tomkins 6 and Widdop 7 but that's just me.

Too late now but that would of been who i had in the halves.

Yes I think this is England's best combo moving forward.

Also shame over the last few years we did't get to see a GB team with this England team as is but Brough & Briers as the halves combo replacing Chase & Sinfield
 

LeedsStorm

Juniors
Messages
715
This round was always going to be a damp squib. Decent hit out for England. Difficult to judge the performance when the result was never in doubt. Big week ahead for Macnamara and the senior players. Should be a great occasion at Wembley next week
 

RedVee

First Grade
Messages
6,105
OT a bit; what's with the shaded bit at the top chest of the English jerseys?
Is it supposed to be an unofficial Chevy badge or something?
 

Bronco Rob

Juniors
Messages
922
Either the French can't count or it was bad decision making but how many times did they kick on the 4th tackle in the opposing half, it was abosulutely nonsensical. The french did improve over the tournament and with a bit more polish they can compete with the top nations. I thought Fakir was their best for the French over the WC, he was excellent and while Casty made some errors he wasn't far behind him. They hav the forward pack, they just need a couple of strike players out wide.
 

Indelible

Juniors
Messages
147
I was actually quite impressed with France some good players coming through and the team improved as the tournament went on. Lacked the polish to finish in both the Samoa and English games. Lots to work with there.
 

kiwileaguefan

Juniors
Messages
2,426
I was actually quite impressed with France some good players coming through and the team improved as the tournament went on. Lacked the polish to finish in both the Samoa and English games. Lots to work with there.

Yup i was thinking the same. Before this match, i thought France had gone backwards. But after last nights game i think they are going all right. If they just had a touch more luck they would have run in at least 1-2 tries.

The young guys coming through look an outstanding prospect.
 

deluded pom?

Coach
Messages
10,897
France put up spirited performances against Samoa and England. They were far better than they have been in recent years although there was a lot of poor execution at times and some bizarre decision making. I also felt a few fifty fifty calls went England's way and cost France points. Having said that I wouldn't want the French to abandon their own psyche and simply be a clone of other teams. Vive la France.
 
Last edited:

marv

Juniors
Messages
1,053
Well, I thought in patches that was the best I have seen France play for a long time even if they never looked like winning the game.
Always game in the forwards but lacking the ability to finish moves off. I'm sure that France would have posted more points because Bosc and Greeny (playing a kind of pseudo-fullback-playmaker in attack. which i acually called and got shot down on by someone who had clearly never seen clint play for the Dragons) both, along with Barthau did an ok job giving the team shape with Morgan going to the wing (I also called that, maybe you guys should listen to me more re: France) and swapping positions with Clint, in the England and Samoa games Morgan has looked likely to score tries like this.

Because I havent seen much of the French league, Internationals are one of the only chance I get to see fringe Catalans players like Barthau, for most the time in the WC he has been a much improved player but still needs to learn to keep his head and not look for the killer pass all the time. He really took some big hits after being targeted in the PNG and Samoa games, there is still a question over his weight, or lack of it. The other players like Cardace didn't get much of an opportunity but IMO he is of a muchness compared to Stacul and Vaccari.

French elite players like Kane Bentley will never let you down, he and his brother were probably the only players coming out of the NZ game with any credit and Kane was really unfortunate with the injury in the England game. worried when i saw the name Younis Khattabi on the team sheet and he didn't let me down either and showed us that he is way past the level of an international player, if he ever was there the highlight being a deft pass into row 5 of the stand.
 
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