France boss Fabien Galthie rests frontline stars for first Japan test

Yeah Jacobsen is just a much heavier hitter

For all that Blackadder does and it’s a lot I’m not sure how much of it is dominant

Whereas Ntamack and Ramos both play fabulously with Dupont and Ntamack adapted seamlessly when Lucu took over from Dupont v Ireland; Ntamack has a v high tackle success rate, tackles more often and jackals; Ntamack 10 and 12 internationally, Ramos 10 and 15 - both have played with 7/1 bench; both Ntamack and Ramos superb big match temperament, scoring when it counts; France has been flying high when they’re playing.

If Jalibert played for a nation struggling to score with a strong defence, he might be worth a pick, but he plays for France.

Also, lately I’m wondering if he’s quite so effective in attack as some people seem to believe. He is certainly good and has the flashy moves, but look at the Top14 stats, they suggest his game management isn’t quite what it should be. If I’m picking a fantasy team I sink my money on the wings, as they score most. Jalibert is playing with the two top wings in France, arguably the world, his scrum half is France’s best with Dupont injured for most of the season, the other backs and the forwards are all top class, but that isn’t reflected in the stats. Points for ST 891, UBB 762; Points ag ST 462, UBB 609; points diff 429 v 153, and that’s when for much of the season, the ST player in the crucial 9 position, with the best will in the world is pretty average, and can’t be rated among the top 6 in the Top14.

If Galthier picks Jalibert again, I’ll know his head’s fallen off! Allez les blues!

I think the Reds will have the best chance of all of the Super Rugby teams and are able to field the strongest team under the circumstances. They’ll also get the Lions midweek team after this game and they have to travel from Perth to Brisbane.

Lions are the cream of four nations and like all touring teams they rotate players on a long tour. It doesn’t make them less of an attraction.

When Aussie starts pulling Test players out of some pretty average SRP squads it devalues the fixture. I’ve seen some of those games and you do wonder, ‘what was the point?’

So there is an obligation for Aussie at least to release the players it can release for the other tour fixtures, if they don’t trip over their involvement in the Test series.

“You need a winning scrum going forward to feed your backs to score isn't it?”

No - very few scores come off of scrums. “Feeding the backs to score” is mainly done through the breakdown and the lineout.

“your arguments are dead the moment it was spoken”

I think you just haven’t understood the argument, hence the fact that you go on to fill your comment with a load of irrelevant waffle, and ultimately conclude that none of what you have said matters! 😆