ENG vs FRA - Match Thread - Team announcement, Chat & Banter etc...

[HERSH]

First topic message reminder :

Last 10 meetings

26 Feb 2011 England 17 - 9 France
20 Mar 2010 France 12 - 10 England
15 Mar 2009 England 34 - 10 France
23 Feb 2008 France 13 - 24 England
13 Oct 2007 France 9 - 14 England -RWC
18 Aug 2007 France 22 - 9 England
11 Aug 2007 England 15 - 21 France
11 Mar 2007 England 26 - 18 France
12 Mar 2006 France 31 - 6 England
13 Feb 2005 England 17 - 18 France

ENGLAND - 5 Wins - FRANCE - 5 Wins

England

1 Matt Stevens
2 Steve Thompson
3 Dan Cole
4 Louis Deacon
5 Tom Palmer
6 Tom Croft
7 Lewis Moody
8 Nick Easter
9 Ben Youngs
10 Jonny Wilkinson
11 Mark Cueto
12 Toby Flood
13 Manu Tuilagi
14 Chris Ashton
15 Ben Foden

Replacements

16 Dylan Hartley
17 Alex Corbisiero
18 Courtney Lawes
19 Simon Shaw
20 James Haskell
21 Richard Wigglesworth
22 Matt Banahan



France

1 Jean-Baptiste Poux
2 William Servat
3 Nicolas Mas
4 Pascal Pape
5 Lionel Nallet
6 Thierry Dusautoir
7 Julien Bonnaire
8 Imanol Harinordoquy
9 Dimitri Yachvili
10 Morgan Parra
11 Alexis Palisson
12 Maxime Mermoz
13 Aurélien Rougerie
14 Vincent Clerc
15 Maxime Médard

Replacements

16 Dimitri Szarzewski
17 Fabien Barcella
18 Julien Pierre
19 Louis Picamoles
20 Francois Trinh-Duc
21 David Marty
22 Cédric Heymans

[Mad for Chelsea]

The pigs are flying because England got bored of tossing dwarfs

[andy powells minder]

"It's time to stop the self effacing carry on, it's endearing and all, but a little disingenuous."

If we did stop the self-effing thing we would be labelled arrogant, etc. and anyway we don't want to sound like those over-blown Welshmen do we? If you listen to them they have Bill in their trophy cabinet already. I suspect Ireland will have something to say about that though.

You're actually both right (my gosh, TGG is right, and they're no flying pigs outside my window ). Looking at the draw, England should make the final, and if they don't they'll have under-performed. However, I am now going to be slated by my Celt friends on here as a typical arrogant Englishman, and reminded that Wales and Ireland have superior form (despite Wales actually having lost a match). The truth of it though is that I'm French. Not sure what the English are worried about TBH, we've been utter pants so far, and it's unlikely to improve IMO.

In the words of that 80's classic "the only way is up"

You forgot to add the bit "unless you're coached by a madman called Marc Lièvremont, in which case the only way is even further down"...

non, c'est pas possible

[englandglory4ever]

Ruby I see we are on the same wavelength but about different teams. The North star is said to be rising over Wales but getting blotted out by another wave of welsh flying pigs.

[RubyGuby]

[Gatts]

"Educated" people. Typical English arrogance.

I was born in New Plymouth.

Thomas Waldrom was born in Upper Hutt. But he's English.

All colonials are essentially English if you think about it

[BATH_BTGOG]

Well said, some people aren't to sharp on their history.

[TheGreyGhost]

"Educated" people. Typical English arrogance.

I was born in New Plymouth.

Thomas Waldrom was born in Upper Hutt. But he's English.

All colonials are essentially English if you think about it

And all Englishmen neanderthals by that line of argument.

[Effervescing Elephant]

So GG you admit that MJ IS English then?...

[TheGreyGhost]

[Effervescing Elephant]

Aaay thank you.

[BATH_BTGOG]

GreyGhost

There was a teacher from Bristol who’s DNA proved he was a descendent from a Ice/Bronze age? skeleton found in a Cheddar Gorge cave.

For those who don't now Cheddar is about 20miles away from Bristol.

[Mike Selig]

England should on present form win comfortably. But then we were all saying that about Aus-Ire a few weeks ago...

France could win if they somehow lift themselves but I can't see it TBH.

[TheGreyGhost]

Cheddar.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

I do think England has a problem being colonised by all these Kiwis , Safricans and Samoans who are exploiting our rugby teams. Theyll never take our cheese though.

[Hood83]

"Educated" people. Typical English arrogance.

I was born in New Plymouth.

Thomas Waldrom was born in Upper Hutt. But he's English.

All colonials are essentially English if you think about it

I get what you're saying, but no. And some of the worst offences of colonialism were perpetrated by Scots and i dare say the Welsh. But naturally, they are absolved of all guilt now...my knowledge of British history is horribly limited, so if anyone wants to call that bluff...

Also, i frickin love Cheddar. M+S's Cornish Cruncher has practically bankrupted me

[munkian]

"Educated" people. Typical English arrogance.

I was born in New Plymouth.

Thomas Waldrom was born in Upper Hutt. But he's English.

All colonials are essentially English if you think about it

I get what you're saying, but no. And some of the worst offences of colonialism were perpetrated by Scots and i dare say the Welsh. But naturally, they are absolved of all guilt now...my knowledge of British history is horribly limited, so if anyone wants to call that bluff...

Also, i frickin love Cheddar. M+S's Cornish Cruncher has practically bankrupted me

I'll correct it "And some of the worst offences of colonialism were perpetrated against the Scots and i dare say the Welsh"

[TrailApe]

"And some of the worst offences of colonialism were perpetrated against the Scots and i dare say the Welsh"

Well given that it was a Scottish king coming down to take the English throne, and I can't prove it but I bet there are more Welsh/Scots people in England than English people in Wales/Scotland who's colonised whom?

[Runster]

Wales did lose to SA by 1 point, but I wonder how England would have fared, and I mean the England Of today, not the England of 2003.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Exactly what colonies are there in Scotland and and Wales ( unless youre still moaning about the Vikings?) A few holiday cottages hardly counts.

Talk to the Irish about all the Scotts who moved in there....or better still lets not go down this " im more opressed than you" wikipedia history lesson, some angry samoan will only wade in whinging about how he had to play on a Wednesday

[lostinwales]

I thought the Scots went from Ireland to Scotland...

And I cant help getting really annoyed by the excessive use of - Its like saying 'you are a w**ker, only joking'....

[Gatts]

I thought the Scots went from Ireland to Scotland...

And I cant help getting really annoyed by the excessive use of - Its like saying 'you are a w**ker, only joking'....

[PJHolybloke]

I thought the Scots went from Ireland to Scotland...

And I cant help getting really annoyed by the excessive use of - Its like saying 'you are a w**ker, only joking'....

Hey Gatts, I'd heard Kev had turned vegetarian and had been up all night eating potatoes, any truth in the rumour?

[Gatts]

I thought the Scots went from Ireland to Scotland...

And I cant help getting really annoyed by the excessive use of - Its like saying 'you are a w**ker, only joking'....

Hey Gatts, I'd heard Kev had turned vegetarian and had been up all night eating potatoes, any truth in the rumour?

no, he just took a leek on my King Edwards

[PJHolybloke]

I thought the Scots went from Ireland to Scotland...

And I cant help getting really annoyed by the excessive use of - Its like saying 'you are a w**ker, only joking'....

Hey Gatts, I'd heard Kev had turned vegetarian and had been up all night eating potatoes, any truth in the rumour?

no, he just took a leek on my King Edwards

I'll chip em forward mate - you dot em down.

[Ozzy3213]

Right, so are we using this as the match thread?

[Cowshot]

Since I'm watching between my fingers from behind the sofa, I don't care.

[Ozzy3213]

I know that feeling cowshot!

[Cowshot]

First question is what sort of France are we going to see? The poodle or the winged ogre?

[mystiroakey]

arrrgggg. come on england"!!!

[Cymroglan]

Good luck England.

[Ozzy3213]

cheers cymro, hope to be seeing you in the semi final mate.

Was confident yesterday, but as kick off draws near that confidence has turned to full on shoiting meself!!!!

[littleswannygirl]

Thanks Cymro.

Really hope this isn't a damp squib after the great game the first QF was!

[manofgwent]

Boys. There's a much better game on ITV+1!!!
turn it on. Apparently there's some champagne rugby on there!!!

[mystiroakey]

my confidence has melted lol

[TheGreyGhost]

Did he just say..."France block England's route to the final?"

The final?

Did someone tell Wales?

[Irish Curry]

Hopefully the French have rebelled against Leavermont and we will have a good game.

[Gatts]

Did he just say..."France block England's route to the final?"

The final?

Did someone tell Wales?

I'd say that was about 6 minutes. Take a deep breath and hold it, forever

[mystiroakey]

Did he just say..."France block England's route to the final?"

The final?

Did someone tell Wales?

I'd say that was about 6 minutes. Take a deep breath and hold it, forever

ok gatts ill give you that one.

[Taylorman]

Good luck to your team pj.
Ive a feeling france may pip this one.
Neither team stands out for in terms of ability.
With 5 finals between them compared to none in the first semi this is a battle of the heavyweights certainly.
France with a late surge to win by 6.

[Cymroglan]

Well the worst we can possibly do is finish fourth in this world cup, Who would have thought that six months ago.

[Gatts]

Well the worst we can possibly do is finish fourth in this world cup, Who would have thought that six months ago.

Cymro....we can finish anywhere defending like that. Defence wins rugby matches, the points bit is mere details

[mystiroakey]

great start england!!

[radelven]

Flood at IC wouldn't have been my choice for this match, but if we get through this game I think it's exactly the combination we'll need to beat Wales, control the game and pin them back, starve them of ball and frustrate them.

[Cymroglan]

We could do with a few New Zealand ground staff at the ML stadium pitch looks superb.

[mystiroakey]

oh gawddd

penalty to france- there are gonna kick

[TheGreyGhost]

Walsh doesn't like the England tactic of flopping over the tackled player supporting their weight with their arms.

It'll be interesting to see if they adjust. If not they'll be pinged off the park.

[Cowshot]

Still behind the sofa and now imbibing sedative tea.

England not good: promising but going nowhere.

[Taylorman]

France doing most of the play so far.

[radelven]

How can that be a penalty for Flood not releasing when he went in after Youngs tackled and had released.

[TheGreyGhost]

Still behind the sofa and now imbibing sedative tea.

England not good: promising but going nowhere.

Oh, I feel for you man. I was there a couple of weeks ago. Have faith.

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