France 30 Australia 52

[DIEHARD]

and with 270million people we only need someone with half a brain and a fat wallet to gran League in the US and we're laughing!

Lachlan Murdoch. ;-)

 

[stubbsie]

Congrats to bk for scoring a try in his last international.

 

[carlnz]

I think france have just proved that they can match it in the tri nations...however we must not forget the fact that both NZ and AUS had "stars" missing......but in saying that...France havent even started their regular season yet!!

Well done Frnace...that gap is finally closing.....they need to bring the SAME squad plus some junior players to AUS for games against club teams....then NZ again....

CAn I just say that their Secondary Schools tour to Australia was fantastic idea and I do believe 2 of those players played today...didnt they lose 50-22 or something aswell to the much fancied Australian School Boys???

 

[mightybears]

thats a great result for the french
more should be done re development to make them more competitive

 

[t-ba]

Audous(?) For international Coach of the Year!

 

[Broncodroid]

A 'feelgood' result in two aspects for this fan;

1. Australia won the game with the great Darren Lockyer showing why he is the best player in Rugby League. Another test where we do not lose the game with Lockyer at the helm.

2. France's gutsy effort adding weight to their argument for more regular test appearances.

The French has no right to be in this contest...this is 17 players from Australia playing in the best competition in the world who should have wiped the park with the French. Alot of respect is given to this French team, a round of applause to their coaching staff and players.

 

[Kris_man]

great stuff by the French, now WHY WASN'T THAT CONSIDERED A TEST MATCH?!?! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

[ali]

I think france have just proved that they can match it in the tri nations...however we must not forget the fact that both NZ and AUS had "stars" missing......but in saying that...France havent even started their regular season yet!!

Well done Frnace...that gap is finally closing.....they need to bring the SAME squad plus some junior players to AUS for games against club teams....then NZ again....

CAn I just say that their Secondary Schools tour to Australia was fantastic idea and I do believe 2 of those players played today...didnt they lose 50-22 or something aswell to the much fancied Australian School Boys???

Yes but I believe the kid who played lock forward last night was injured for the Test against the Aussie schoolboys and didn't play.

I just really hope the French Union clubs keep their hands off these kids. In my opinion French Union clubs are the biggest threat to our international scene (besides NRL clubs :lol: ). In the last year they've signed France's best player (Guisset) and Russia's captain. They also went close to getting El Masri, although he would have ended up with Perpignan in Super League. But it sounds as though they have money to burn in French Union, so UTC will not be the complete solution. We need NRL clubs and Super league clubs to show more interest in these players and ideally Toulouse for Super League by 2008. I saw some footage on Sky news, and that stadium looked about half full. Hopefully they got about 12000 in there.

I'd love to see Wayne Bennett take Djamel Fakir with him back to Brisbane. From all reports he is the one to watch in France at the moment.

 

[yakstorm]

Well it goes to show there is only one difference between France and the big 3 and that is Fitness.

Their skill level seems to be fine, same with their desire. It certainly looks good for a Quad-Nations series in 2006.

 

[Dakink]

ell done France, I'm all for a FOUR Nations tournament next time around!

My sentiments exactly - but why cant we get some of their players, especially the younger one with potential, out here playing with our clubs. An "apprentice" scheme of some sort could be set up where young players from developing nations could be signed by NRL clubs or Queensland cup etc on apprentiships where they come out here, get paid to learn the game and hopefully return all the better for the experience. The young developing players could then experience competition and training AUS style and take that knowledge home with them. They couls be excluded from any salary cap and so too not take chances away from our own young players each club could be limited to 2 imports of this nature.

 

[mightybears]

agree 100% with dakink
hpoefully UTC will go great guns in the pommie comp

 

[Jeffles]

I woke up today and heard the score and though "BUGGER ME". I tipped the Roos by 40 (and I was being generous).

Not the best Roos side but the heart of the Chanticleers put the Roos to shame.

 

[ledzep]

crowd?

 

[Ari Gold]

can someone tell us the crowd????

 

[DIEHARD]

Reports estimate around 10,000. No confirmation yet.

 

[girvie]

Did France have any players missing through injury?
Does anyone think Daniel Dumas would have made the side seeing as most of the french players are amatures? Did they only want French born/raised players in the side?
Are any members of the french squad eligible for Morocco?

 

[Tupac Shakur]

Is something bad happening with the form of the Kangaroos or is it just International League improving? I hope it's the second one.

 

[Special K]

Did France have any players missing through injury?
Does anyone think Daniel Dumas would have made the side seeing as most of the french players are amatures? Did they only want French born/raised players in the side?
Are any members of the french squad eligible for Morocco?

Dumas and Pelo would have played but since it was going to be a test match they didn't want to play as they want origin. They played last year as it wasn't a test.

Dumas is also recovering from a broken neck but if he was fit - going off what I know he can do I'd say he would be. At the world 7s he carried the french side in defence. I had never seen a player make so many tackles in a 7s match as he was doing.

 

[JasonE]

Did France have any players missing through injury?
Does anyone think Daniel Dumas would have made the side seeing as most of the french players are amatures? Did they only want French born/raised players in the side?
Are any members of the french squad eligible for Morocco?

Yes, there no.1 centre/wing Sylvain Houles is out injured and he will be playing with Wakefield in SL next year. Also left out another good winger Fourcade Abasse.

Fakir is eligible for Morocco (i think)

 

[ali]

I'd say Fakir definately has some form of ancestory in that region. From what I saw on TV he is fairly dark looking, so probably north African. He is one powerful looking bloke. That was awesome the way he steam rolled Lockyer.