France v Uruguay - Pool A

[didds]

brain dump France v Uruguay ...

French 2nd string eventually beat a gutsy but fundamentally ineffectual Uruguayan team.

Shaun Edwards wont be happy with the line breaks.

Uruguay's set piece was way below any use. Scrum was soundly beaten the entire game, and it was only the French scrum's own stupidity that didn't see them fully dominate entirely. Uruguay's lineout had only one working option - throw to the front... but that stymied any next phase of anything meaningful.

Can't see France putting out such a 2nd string side against Namibia. Italy will see them field a pretty full 1st team squad.

Moments of controversy :
*The yellow card. would have been red on another day, or even not even spotted. Whatever

* the collapsed maul <5m from the try line, no YC. And this immediately after a previous PK as well. Whatever

* the kick-through the maul. deliberate kick or ricochet off a shin in a highly dynamic situation? Whatever.


Good game for the neutral. I enjoyed it.

 

[crossref]

didds, did all those decisions favour France?

I watched the second half - but with no sound.

dick of the day to the uruguayan who kicked the ball into his own player... which gifted france a try

 

[didds]

The kick through the maul was against France - it would have given them a BP try

and that gifted try in effect cost Uruguay an otherwise probably deserved bonus point. (FWTW!)

 

[didds]

I could add the ref was probably very lenient to the Uruguay front row, who were under the cosh all game (especially the starting loose head). I suspect had it been SA v NZ there woiud have been cards before half time. maybe he (ref) figured if he was "hard" hed have the entire Uruguay in the bin by half time and potentially uncontested scrums by an hour.

 

[tim White]

Changing the subject; I notice the new turf pitch being dislodged again. So far it has caused no major problems but I hope the French federation get a ticking off for poorly prepared pitches (they do look nice though)

 

[didds]

The pitch in Lille was ripping up constantly - it was like cardiff when it was first opened.
Im guessing the stadium is actually a football stadium given its lille? I bet the groundsman isn't too chuffed!