The Beginning of the End or the End of the ...

By Chris Chaplin
February 12 2003

Many pundits are saying that the England game against France may be the beginning of the 2003 Six Nations but that the result will pretty much indicate what the end of the competition will be, with France and England occupying the first two places - the question is in what order.

Saturday is apparently supposed to tell us. Personally I think that this outlook is to undervalue the Irish and it could be that they’ll have something to say about these preconceptions as to the outcome of this season’s tournament, but that’s for another day.

France, like England, had a pretty good time in the Autumn Internationals convincingly beating South Africa 30-10 and Canada 35-3 after drawing with the All Blacks 20-20 due to two late missed penalties by Gelez.

The French team that contested the Autumn Internationals also had a settled look about it and injuries (and suspensions) aside Laporte will presumably stick with the same set up, mind you with him it’s hard to tell!

The first choice front row will, on this basis, be Crenca with, (soon to be Tiger?) Ibanez at hooker and in the enforced absence of Stade de France’s deVilliers, Sarrie Cristian Califano should start. Given that he shares the record for the most tries scored by a prop in an international (four against Romania in 1996) his presence will be little to cheer about.

Raphael Ibanez is a fine, fine hooker and as we know is reputed to have caught Deano’s eye as a recruit for next season - we shall see. However since his debut for France in 1996 he has seen them through back to back grand slams in 1997 and 1998 as well as their stunning World Cup Semi-final victory over the All Blacks in 1999. Crenca is also a good scrummager and these three will be a real handful and no mistake.

At lock, partnering Pelous, we find a familiar figure from happy times in the premiership, one Msr Brouzet. We all remember his exploits for Saints and how dangerous he is both in the line and the loose, so again the England locks will have it all to do to contain these two.

Now we come to the crème de la crème of the French forwards - the French backrow.

Everybody talks about the English backrow but look at this trio!

Starting with ex pro skier Olivier Magne, great on the floor, dynamic in the loose and a candidate for AirMiles for the amount of time he spends in the bin!! Betsen THE danger man. If he gets away from his cover it could be goodnight nurse! I don’t actually think he’s that great on the floor and around the breakdown but he is fantastic in the loose and at ripping away possession.
Final member of this first class unit is Imanol Hardinordoquy. Since making his debut against Wales in last year’s tournament he has been superb and don’t just take it from me, he was nominated by Johnno as International Player of the Year for 2002!! Sadly the young man has lost control of his mouth in the last week or so saying how much he despises the English and so on which has soured my perception of him a bit, as such comments are not only unnecessary but showing a degree of immaturity which may just give the English pack something to work on.

Scrum half is likely to Fabien Galthie who will also presumably retain the captaincy. A veteran of the 1991, 1995 and 1999 World Cups they don’t come much more experienced than this and Dawson will need to be at his very best come Saturday teatime, but on the other hand Galthie’s defensive game is not his strongest suit so there could be attacking opportunities for the referee’s assistant. Partnering him at 10 will probably be Gelez who had a good Autumn following his being drafted in to replace the more experienced Gerald Merceron, after the well reported collapse of the latter’s kicking game. For my money Merceron on his day is the better all round #10 but we all know just how important a kicker is, particularly in an England vs France game. Having said all that Gelez did miss two injury time penalties against the All Blacks at the Stade de France in the Autumn, either of which would have secured his side a victory. So we’ll see what Laporte decides.

Traille should keep his place from last year’s Six Nations and the Autumn Internationals This strong running centre has lately had Thomas Castaignede outside him in place of Marsh however he too has now been replaced by the returning Garbajosa which I think could be a positive for England.

On the wings expect to see the big new find for the French, Toulouse player Vincent Clerc, who scored in each of France’s Autumn test matches, he will now be partnered by Rougerie instead of Heymans and the classy Nicholas Brusque at 15 is also replaced this time by Poitrenuad and again this could be a change to England’s advantage as it further alters the Autumn’s winning formula although Rougerie probably strengthens the French attack

So there we are - all in all a pretty good outfit eh but with some key changes? So will we beat them?

Well with a front row including Jason Leonard and the recovered White we’ve a blend of experience and youth although Ibanez will give Thompson plenty to think about. On the subject of Thompson I think he’ll have the edge in the loose but he’ll have to be inch perfect with his throwing to give Johnno and BK a chance against the French locks, but that said I think this is a department where we could gain some advantage.

The backrow confrontation is going to be a real battle and the experience of Backy and Hill will be needed, although why ICO has chosen to again play the World’s best blindside at 8 is something of a mystery. The use of MadEye’s youthful exuberance is understandable but whether it is the wisest option from the outset remains to be seen.

Dawson starts at 9 and at pretty near his best these days I expect him to have a rare old tussle with Galthie. Daws at his best should get an edge over Galthie.

Obviously Wilko at fly half will be Betsen’s prime target, our boy will need more protection than he got against the Springboks, but that said he should dominate the less experienced and less talented Gelez. At centre the selection of Hodgeson is a surprise and frankly worries me. Firstly both fly halves and hence our front line kickers and will be exposed with Oz absent no credible back up on the bench. I am not aware of Hodgeson having any real experience centre and we shall certainly miss the defensive qualities of Tindall. For my money the centre looks unbalanced and I worry about Traille’s potential exploitation of the 12/13 channel. Creatively Tindall did not add too much which Hodgeson may. How though I’d like to see Greenwood at 12 and young Simpson-Daniel at 13, both have lovely hands and the ability to make things happen. On the wings Cohen couldn’t be left out with his play having an almost elemental force about it this year and he’ll get the better of Clerc and in my view a not fully international match fit (which I don’t think he is) Luger may find Rougerie a bit much. ICO persists with Robinson at #15 and I can see him therefore being pretty much pegged back in our 22 by Gelez and once again his attacking menace expended in his own half, it does seem an awful waste of a truly talented winger who should be there instead of Luger.

As a team England should certainly superior to the more individualistic French but do they have a good enough combination in the centre? The most worrying thing for me is ICO’s propensity to play people out of position. Look at this team. The World’s best blindside at 8 while Dallaglio sits on the bench, of course Hilly will be good at 8 but it’s not his best position, how much better it would have been to bring MadEye on when play loosened up and started with the most experienced international backline on the scene for this game. One of the most exciting wingers around is at fullback while Luger, fine player that he is, has yet to prove his return from injury has been completed, which I’m not sure that it has and now the back up fly half is committed from the outset in a position of which he has little (if any) experience. Yet Christophers and Simpson-Daniel are on the bench and both have played at centre. If experiment was called for in this of all games why on earth weren’t these considered at 13 with Greenwood moving to 12, where I think he looks happier anyway.

The pack will be pretty even with the England lineout a potential plus point. I give the English half-backs more than an edge over their opposite numbers and it may be that if Wilko gets some decent ball and is protected so that he can play his game, the match could turn on that alone. Perhaps he will shift to inside centre to have more room but then we’d lose his distribution, which is superior to Hodgeson’s.

Were both teams at their best on a neutral ground I’d have to go for the French but it is at Twickenham, so home advantage should swing it with England winning a close game, perhaps by the odd score. But if either team are not at their best it could be a rout and ours does have a peculiarly “scratch” look about it!