Sat 23rd Oct: Intl: France v England KO 2.30pm (TV)

[Gerrumonside ref]

France got better and England worse after taking advantage of that terrible start by the French.

[DavidM]

Penalties refs give when a ball carrier walks ten yards forward off the mark into the defenders 

[Odsal Outlaw]

7 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Loving the French jersey. 

The players or the refs

[Hvy wg]

Looks like Jullien replaced Jussaume at centre

[Gerrumonside ref]

Is it normally this kind of weather in Perpignan in late October?  Looks great.

 

[welshmagpie]

Tony Gigot (unsurprisingly) playing the furthest thing from a half back and a captain.

If France are full strength at the World Cup after a full-SL season for Catalans and Toulouse they will be OK but today is proving that they’re 4 absentees away from being less than average.

[JonM]

2 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

France got better and England worse after taking advantage of that terrible start by the French.

You might say it was because it's a big step up from championship to the pace of a test match, but it was just dropping kicks.

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

4 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

England by 60 points 

 

4 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Think those days are gone 

Are you sure? 

[Hvy wg]

1 minute ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Is it normally this kind of weather in Perpignan in late October?  Looks great.

 

Yeah pretty much. 20 during the day, goes down to 10 or so at night

[Gerrumonside ref]

Just now, JonM said:

You might say it was because it's a big step up from championship to the pace of a test match, but it was just dropping kicks.

Yes, absolute basic errors.

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

1 minute ago, Johnoco said:

I think people are being a bit harsh here. Remember how the Australians say there’s no point in playing us? It’s exactly the same thing here. These games, preferably in France, should continue. So trashing them after 10 minutes won’t help anyone.

Annual tests of England Knights v France would be beneficial for both sides for a few years imo 

[Hvy wg]

1 minute ago, Johnoco said:

I think people are being a bit harsh here. Remember how the Australians say there’s no point in playing us? It’s exactly the same thing here. These games, preferably in France, should continue. So trashing them after 10 minutes won’t help anyone.

In football we don't see france refusing to play Andorra because they trash them. In Union the Italians have been smashed for 10 years straight and they're still there. In League? If you're not competitive right away we won't play you until 3 years later.

[Dunbar]

4 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Penalties refs give when a ball carrier walks ten yards forward off the mark into the defenders 

The Goudemand one was typical.  He is tackled and then walks forward into the markers and pushes past the first marker and gets all tangled up so fails to play the ball... result, gets a penalty.

[frank]

Two poor teams and France no ideas at all. Something drastic needs to happen if the WC  is played next year.

[my missus]

you could combine all 26 of these players against australia and aus would still win.

[Dunbar]

16 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

No they wouldnt because they have zero commercial value. 

Agreed.

[Futtocks]

Competitive despair seems to be a fast-growing sport.

[bratman]

2 minutes ago, Johnoco said:

I think people are being a bit harsh here. Remember how the Australians say there’s no point in playing us? It’s exactly the same thing here. These games, preferably in France, should continue. So trashing them after 10 minutes won’t help anyone.

Last time England played Australia was the 2017 WC Final, 6-0 which could have gone either way?

[Harry Stottle]

If there is anything to be learned and confirmed from this game it is that Hardacre is never ever a centre as long as he as a hole where the sun doesn't shine, and Lomax is not a Stand off of international quality, as for the French the Toulouse players apart from Sangare look way out of their comfort zone against SL quality players, also it shows that playing France is no preperation for England against the big boys.

[EastLondonMike]

Nerves clearly played a part in the opening 20 for France, but they’ve performed better in the subsequent 20.

Reckon they have a couple of tries in them, but no more than that sadly. 
 

Few of the young French forwards showing plenty of promise.

[Ray Cashmere]

Could see the TO players couldn't handle the intensity in the first 20 with Jussaume especially looking out of his depth.

However, Goudemand, Sangare, Mourgue and Pellissier have been good and they looked the most likely last 10.

From our perspective, Knowles has shown how vital he's going to be for England and Davies has to keep that right wing spot. We definitely dropped when Currie & Philbin came on. Lyne and Hardaker aren't test centres and Abdull is a fine back up to George Williams but nothing more.

[Gerrumonside ref]

Just now, Hvy wg said:

Yeah pretty much. 20 during the day, goes down to 10 or so at night

Sounds great and if we can just have the patience to make this a yearly fixture in France (while we build the event) then people will come from England to watch I’m sure.

I know that first 15 minutes was a horror show from France, but with Catalans and Toulouse plus the possibility of a 2025 Coupe de Monde - there is platform to build on.

Looks a nice part of the world to visit and watch rugby league.

[Moove]

2 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

You see no value in having the national side play live on BBC1 on a Saturday afternoon?

England Knights aren't the national side and I can't see them having the same attraction for TV so I know where SB is coming from. England v France, no problem as a regular fixture, good chance for us to give some fringe players a go.

[Odsal Outlaw]

Agree with above comments that this game needs to happen every year. Even if we hammer them. It shows where they are in terms of development and gives England a hit out which are few and far between. 
 

I’d love to see this game every year, mid season and then supported by two French SL teams leading to a 2029 WC. In 2025 they will still likely be poor and we need them to perform in a home WC not get hammered in what could then become a anti climax of a tournament 

[unapologetic pedant]

1 minute ago, Dunbar said:

The Goudemand one was typical.  He is tackled and then walks forward into the markers and pushes past the first marker and gets all tangled up so fails to play the ball... result, gets a penalty.

If this is the one a few minutes before half-time, I thought the England defenders didn`t clear the ruck when the French player first regained his feet. We didn`t see a replay, but my impression was good call.

Unbelievably Dave Woods said "the ball has been stolen". He hasn`t a clue about the ruck most of the time.