England v France Saturday Feb 8th 16h45

[francoisfou]

Even though Romain Ntamack has been named in a squad of 42 players for this match, Matthieu Jalibert will most probably be at fly half at Twickenham.

Ntamack is due to be up before the beak early in the week following his clumsy "tackle" on Friday night at the Stade de France. Maybe Fabien Galthié is expecting a miracle that the red card will be rescinded, but that's improbable.

There'd been talk of moving Thomas Ramos to fly half but as two other fullback candidates, Romain Buros (Bordeaux/Bègles) and Léo Barré (Stade Français) are both injured, Galthié has said that Ramos will stay at fullback, opening the door for Jalibert.

It'd been hoped that Thibault Flament (MoM in Toulouse's impressive annihalation of Leicester a couple of weeks ago) would be fit to take his place in the 2nd row, but he's not recovered and won't be going to Twickenham, so Galthié could stick with Alexandre Roumat, even though I don't personally think he has enough ballast for the 2nd row.
Another possibility is Joshua Brennan, son of wild man Trevor, who's come on leaps and bounds this season.

Damien Penaud is still injured and won't make the trip either, so Théo Atissogbe (Pau), who scored two tries against Wales, will surely be retained.

I can't really foresee other changes in the French matchday squad, although there've been two or three tweaks in the 42-man squad.

[Oakboy]

It's hard to be confident about our lot against that crew. Maybe, a few changes amd at home with nothing to lose, who knows.

[FKAS]

Thought Roumat was a bit of a weak link Vs Wales. Wouldn't be surprised to see Galthie try something different.

Jalibert coming in at 10 doesn't really weaken France much, he's a quality player.

[Which Tyler]

Chessum to 6, Hill to bench
Willis to start
ACurry starts, with his brother on the bench
I'd like to see 12. Dingwall, 13. Lawrence, but that's not going to happen.

Murley... big question for man-management. If he hits training tearing up trees and determined to right some wrong, then he gets the chance to redeem himself. If he hits training with his head down and the weight of the world on his shoulders, then we can't risk it.

Realistically, we don't have much room to tinker with selection.

If Quirke or JvP are fit, then there's a bench spot waiting for them. Mitchell had a bad game, but has credit in the bank, Spencer starts or stays home.

[Oakboy]

Chessum to 6, Hill to bench
Willis to start
ACurry starts, with his brother on the bench
I'd like to see 12. Dingwall, 13. Lawrence, but that's not going to happen.

Murley... big question for man-management. If he hits training tearing up trees and determined to right some wrong, then he gets the chance to redeem himself. If he hits training with his head down and the weight of the world on his shoulders, then we can't risk it.

Realistically, we don't have much room to tinker with selection.

If Quirke or JvP are fit, then there's a bench spot waiting for them. Mitchell had a bad game, but has credit in the bank, Spencer starts or stays home.

You are keeping the 6:2 bench, then. I think we need some gas from a quick winger there so either leave out Finn or change to 5:3.

[fivepointer]

Chessum and Willis to start is the way i'd go. Hill on the bench is a definite yes.

No point in having Randall in the squad if you're going to endlessly kick. Thats not his game. Murley's a tough one. Hate to see a guy scapegoated when he did make some positive contributions.

Definitely a 5:3 bench with back 3 cover.

[Which Tyler]

You are keeping the 6:2 bench, then. I think we need some gas from a quick winger there so either leave out Finn or change to 5:3.

I'm torn between keeping CCS, or 5:3 bench.
I generally hate 6:2, but I think a lot of coaches love it (since bloody South Africa), including Selectorial Blunderer

[Puja]

MSmith to 15 and FSmith to 10. Steward wasn't great at running the ball back - he ran straight and hard but he found and rode contact every time. I'd be much happier with MSmith's pace and quick feet running back any long kicks and being able to step in at 10 when he sees something. FSmith looked perfectly comfortable stepping up when he came on against Ireland.

Puja

[p/d]

Good god no. M Smith 10 or bench. Put Daly at 15 if you want to cast Steward out.

[Oakboy]

Chessum and Willis to start is the way i'd go. Hill on the bench is a definite yes.

No point in having Randall in the squad if you're going to endlessly kick. Thats not his game. Murley's a tough one. Hate to see a guy scapegoated when he did make some positive contributions.

Definitely a 5:3 bench with back 3 cover.

Is it a risk-taking time? If so, I'd certainly go with Quirke on the bench, if fit, and p/d's suggestion of Daly at 15 is better than moving Marcus there. In the past Daly has been ordinary defensively at FB but the 'no guards' law change should help him.

I'd stay with Marcus at 10. I think he was exposed by the 'three 7s' selection and Mitchell not being at his best.

Steward and Murley should not be in the 23. It's tough at the top and both can get themselves back in contention later if they are good enough.

I'm not convinced by Hill yet but I'd have him on the bench with CCS, T Curry and Willis starting. I'd also have Chessum on the bench with the same front five forwards starting.

[Danno]

Quirke is out along with Arthur Clarke. No idea why and I can't post Twitter links anymore

[Captainhaircut]

Quirke is out along with Arthur Clarke. No idea why and I can't post Twitter links anymore

George back in. That’ll fix our lack of ball carrying in the pack…

[FKAS]

Sounds a bit basic but we have to decide on the tactics before changing the personnel.

If we want to contest every kick off like we did at the weekend, kind of need Steward (don't think I've ever seen us win that many kicks offs, Marcus and Freddie were dialled in). Are we going to kick to contest in the air or on the ground. In the air probably want Roebuck and Freeman, on the ground Murley and Sleightholme come into picture.

Are we going to give the second half power play another go? Fell pretty flat Vs Ireland bar two tries after the game was dead.

Incidentally I don't think Martin looked 100% fit, he's had an injury layoff and that was his second game back so probably going to need Chessum on the bench so they can switch after about 50-60mins.

[Puja]

Good god no. M Smith 10 or bench. Put Daly at 15 if you want to cast Steward out.

I'm not sure Daly is the answer to any question that I'm interested in asking. When's Marcus Smith had a bad game when asked to play 15?

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Sounds a bit basic but we have to decide on the tactics before changing the personnel.

If we want to contest every kick off like we did at the weekend, kind of need Steward (don't think I've ever seen us win that many kicks offs, Marcus and Freddie were dialled in). Are we going to kick to contest in the air or on the ground. In the air probably want Roebuck and Freeman, on the ground Murley and Sleightholme come into picture.

Are we going to give the second half power play another go? Fell pretty flat Vs Ireland bar two tries after the game was dead.

Incidentally I don't think Martin looked 100% fit, he's had an injury layoff and that was his second game back so probably going to need Chessum on the bench so they can switch after about 50-60mins.

Agree on most of that.

My feeling is we probably shouldn’t be kicking so much to that French back 3, but we’re really going to have to get parity in the contacts up front for that to be an option.

As others have said the Murley decision really comes down to how he bounces back from this in training. Roebuck coming in opposite Bielle-Barrey would certainly be a good test for him.

I’d like to see us try and stick to our guns at least a little bit rather than lurching to a completely different setup again.

One game in to the tournament and there are quite reasonable arguments for changing 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 15. Even if Slawrence had their best game for a while.

[Danno]

Good god no. M Smith 10 or bench. Put Daly at 15 if you want to cast Steward out.

I'm not sure Daly is the answer to any question that I'm interested in asking. When's Marcus Smith had a bad game when asked to play 15?

Puja

Fair, but he's only started there twice, Fiji were 4 points short of sending us out in a QF and I can't remember the other. It just feels a bit square pegs. Then again I would prefer to see how he goes there for a few games vs Steward. He's got the caps and he's smart and brave enough to go for it. Just maybe not against "we'll kick behind you all day" France.

[Oakboy]

Quirke is out along with Arthur Clarke. No idea why and I can't post Twitter links anymore

George back in. That’ll fix our lack of ball carrying in the pack…

Do we really need four hookers?

[Puja]

Good god no. M Smith 10 or bench. Put Daly at 15 if you want to cast Steward out.

I'm not sure Daly is the answer to any question that I'm interested in asking. When's Marcus Smith had a bad game when asked to play 15?

Puja

Fair, but he's only started there twice, Fiji were 4 points short of sending us out in a QF and I can't remember the other. It just feels a bit square pegs. Then again I would prefer to see how he goes there for a few games vs Steward. He's got the caps and he's smart and brave enough to go for it. Just maybe not against "we'll kick behind you all day" France.

Only started twice, but played nearly the full game against France last 6N after Furbank was injured about 10 minutes in. I'm not saying he's got a huge track record, but it's enough that I'd like to see how it goes properly. Especially against "we'll kick behind you all day" France, as I'd prefer fleet-footed, eye-for-a-gap MSmith to be running them back, rather than feeding the straight-running Steward into the Alldritt meatgrinder repeatedly.

Puja

[Danno]

Hard to argue with that

[p/d]

I’d still take Daly running it back over Smith hitch kicking his way into trouble.

[Mellsblue]

I think it’s all rather depressing that our options for 15 are an oil tanker, a geriatric who we moaned about playing there when he was fast and a flyhalf who once played there cos Suicidal Benchselection fecked up again.
Looks like I’ll be wearing my beret next weekend surrounded by posters of Carla Bruni, Vanessa Paradis and Audrey Tautou. Zut alors.

[Puja]

I’d still take Daly running it back over Smith hitch kicking his way into trouble.

Again, when has that happened during his games at 15? I appreciate it's not a long record, with two starts and several goes mid-match, but I don't recall him screwing up a backfield decision to kick or run when playing there. Where is this confidence that he will screw it up coming from?

Puja

[Mellsblue]

I’d still take Daly running it back over Smith hitch kicking his way into trouble.

Where is this confidence that he will screw it up coming from?

Puja

He’s an English man who plays rugby. Have you not been watching the last 12 months? How much more evidence do you need?

[francoisfou]

….. surrounded by posters of Carla Bruni, Vanessa Paradis and Audrey Tautou. Zut alors.

Sacrébleedinbleu!
Vanessa et Audrey, peut-être, mais Carla (aka Mme Nicolas « poison dwarf » Sarkozy) Bruni?

[p/d]

I think it’s all rather depressing that our options for 15 are an oil tanker, a geriatric who we moaned about playing there when he was fast and a flyhalf who once played there cos Suicidal Benchselection fecked up again.
Looks like I’ll be wearing my beret next weekend surrounded by posters of Carla Bruni, Vanessa Paradis and Audrey Tautou. Zut alors.

See, now you put it like that my thoughts have shifted away from 15 to which French beauty I would like casting an admiring eye at my beret.