RugbyRebels

"There was a period when Wales victories over France were as rare as a Louis van Gaal grin but in these days of strength and conditioning, preparation time is more telling than natural ability. While most of the French squad were involved in Top 14 action last weekend, only two of Wales’s starting lineup at the Principality Stadium on Friday night were playing for their clubs, and Dan Lydiate was doing so to gain match fitness.

France are the only team in the Six Nations whose players cannot look forward en masse to a rest on the tournament’s fallow weekends"

from the guardian...

I have seen few of these articles the last few months, it reminds me how much people in here have laughed at me saying the same thing...

ach...

sounds like you're scared to me

I wouldn't think Tigran is scared. Sounds rather like an explanation for an accepted defeat prior to kick off.

Hollognois wrote:I wouldn't think Tigran is scared. Sounds rather like an explanation for an accepted defeat prior to kick off.

yes, now that you mention it...

na, it's just to explain why les bleus won't have too much a margin in their victory..

Here we go again..

"The French national side doesn’t get much aid from the clubs,” Hines said yesterday. “Guy Noves knows a lot about that, because he was on the other side of the fence before [as head coach of Toulouse from 1993 until taking up his new job].

“They’ve had limited time to work together, and the longer they have together

the more coherent and structured they will become. But you don’t get a lot

of time to get structures in place, especially when you don’t get any support from the club game.

“They’ve got individuals who are great players and they’ve got power, but as a team they’re still a bit dysfunctional. Everyone’s aware it’s a first year. He’s had no time with them - everyone understands that. The more time they spend together and the longer we go in this tournament, especially in the next year more so, we’ll see a resurgence.”

ET voilà..

"Of all the tier-one international teams they have the least amount of access and control over their players. The Top 14 final this year is on June 24. Their preseason starts in July. Some of their guys are playing 40 games a year where England play in the low 30s and Ireland’s in the high 20s.

That’s where the difference lies: these French players are so physically spent that they have go no time to be doing speed work or working on their skills.

England
England are the heavy favourites on Saturday
People say where’s the French flair gone but it is actually their energy and their pace. "

ET voilà...