So this is it, the game that will likely decide the Six Nations, and there could not be two more contrasting teams in it. On one
hand we have Ireland, coached by Joe Schmidt, a man renowned for his attention
to detail and heavy emphasis on strategy. On the other we have France, headed
by Philippe Saint-Andre, famous for his wild selection policies and haphazard
game-plans. Where Ireland have cohesion, France have individuality; whilst Ireland
have a clear sense of direction, France seem rudderless.
But how exactly can you plan to outplay a team who so often
seem to have no idea even amongst themselves as to what they’re trying to
achieve? Ireland assistant coach Les Kiss has mentioned in an interview that a “forensic”
examination of the French has revealed “a game plan designed to look shambolic,
but that actually offers plenty attacking avenues for their marauding
finishers.” This may very well be the case, but analyse anything for long
enough and you’ll start to see patterns – even with their fingernails on the
Six Nations trophy, this France side have at times played too erratically for
their performance to be part of a chaotic strategy. To use a bizarre metaphor, it's like a game of top trumps where one player has every stat memorised, whilst his opponent is merely shuffling wildly and playing whichever card rests on top of his deck
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| Which coach will be smiling come the final whistle? |
A lot has been said about this French squad, and not a lot
of it has been positive either. Pundits from all competing nations have weighed
in, describing it as one of the worst French sides in recent years. Jeremy
Guscott likened them to a troupe of circus clowns, whilst Jonathan Davies
laughed when the possibility of them winning the tournament was put to him on the BBC. Despite what the table says, most people seem to have written France off.
Still, for all the negativity, there are other rugby clichés
that might be applied to Les Bleus; it’s often said that great sides find a way
to win, even when they are not playing at their best. That is just what France
have done, and they are still in contention because of it. Other phrases – “a
win is a win”, “better to win ugly than lose pretty” – also spring to mind, and
typify the performance of Philippe Saint-Andre’s side. Shambolic and divided as
they have been, they are still on equal points with both England and Ireland,
and results are what matter in professional sport – just ask Scotland.
The contrast in style and approach between these sides is
also echoed in some of the players; Brian O’Driscoll’s experience faces off
against the exciting young talent that is Gael Fickou in the centres, whilst
the fly-half roulette wheel has selected Remi Tales for France, set against the
ever-present Jonny Sexton for Ireland. Both sides will be bolstered by the
return of their stand-out back-rowers; Peter O’Mahony and Louis Picamoles both
start, both on the blindside.
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| Can Gael Fickou undo another team's Championship hopes? Photo: EPA |
If Irish fans were taking some comfort from France’s far
from complete performances, they will be less encouraged by what the history
books have to say. Ireland haven’t won in France since 2000, their only victory
there in the professional era; every Six Nations after a Lions tour has been
won by the French; the last three contests between these sides have seen
Ireland score first and lead at half-time, only to be defeated come the final
whistle – these are the stats that have been on every pundits lips.
But the past, as they say, is the past, and Ireland will be
eager to write a few new chapters in their history on Saturday; a final cap for
world record holder O’Driscoll, and a first victory against France since 2009 –
the last time that Ireland lifted the trophy. All of these things may be
coincidences, but they make what is already a tantalising match-up into the
game of the tournament.
Prediction:
It is very much
Ireland’s game to lose, but they should head to Paris with confidence from
their past performances. Despite what has been said about France, they will
want to win in front of a demanding home crowd. For the second time this year,
the Stade de France should be the place of English heartbreak – Ireland to win
game and Championship, but only by seven points.
SQUADS
France: 15-Brice
Dulin, 14-Yoann Huget, 13-Mathieu Bastareaud, 12-Gael Fickou, 11-Maxime Medard,
10-Remi Tales, 9-Maxime Machenaud; 1-Thomas Domingo, 2-Dimitri Szarzewski,
3-Nicolas Mas, 4-Pascal Pape (c), 5-Yoann Maestri, 6-Louis Picamoles,
7-Alexandre Lapandry, 8-Damien Chouly
Replacements: 16-Guilhem Guirado, 17-Vincent Debaty,
18-Rabah Slimani, 19-Alexandre Flanquart; 20-Sébastien Vahaamahina,
21-Wenceslas Lauret, 22-Jean Marc Doussain; 23-Maxime Mermoz
Ireland: 15-Rob
Kearney, 14-Andrew Trimble, 13-Brian O'Driscoll, 12-Gordon D'Arcy, 11-Dave
Kearney, 10-Jonny Sexton, 9-Conor Murray; 1-Cian Healy, 2-Rory Best, 3-Mike
Ross, 4-Devin Toner, 5-Paul O'Connell (c), 6-Peter O'Mahony, 7-Chris Henry,
8-Jamie Heaslip
Replacements: 16-Sean Cronin, 17-Jack McGrath, 18-Martin
Moore, 19-Iain Henderson, 20-Jordi Murphy, 21-Eoin Reddan, 22-Ian Madigan,
23-Fergus McFadden
Date: Saturday, March 15
Kick-off: 17:00 GMT
Venue: Stade de France, Paris
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Touch judges: Wayne Barnes (England) & Marius Mitrea
(Romania)
TMO: Gareth Simmonds (Wales)
Article by Alex Hawksworth-Brookes
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