Having attended yesterday's game and therefore in a far better position than most on the board to comment on it, the French seemed to lack cohesion early on and seemed less up for it than the Irish. A really strange wind was blowing passes that were clearly backwards in a forward direction, forcing the receivers to chase after them (pretty much all kicks towards one end of the ground were low and short as anything high was coming back over the head.

The French got pinged quite heavily for offside and this too disrupted them. They only came to life late on in the game and pulled it back from 16 to nil back to sixteen 12. On paper they were much stronger but they didn't seem to produce on the day. A couple of the French lads couldn't control their tempers (although niggle merchant Bob Beswick seemed only too keen to get them wound up).

Both sides slowed the tackle area down and it is a little bit of a shame they were allowed to do that as it slowed the game down as well. Ireland managed the conditions better and wanted the win more.

These games are played at the same time every year, in fact, in the clubhouse there are two Jerseys showing the last time Ireland and France met at Tallaght (really nice ground) and it was on 26 October 2010. So you can pretty much predict when the internationals are taking place Him. Good turnout from locals and from a load of French students studying in Dublin gave a good atmsophere to the fixture.

Except the fixtures were announced on 1st August.
It involves different nations from the previous comp 2 years ago.

Which involved different nations from the comp previous to that, again 2 years before.

Which involved different nations to the comp a year previous to that.

Which involved different nations to the previous comp which was 4 years prior to that.

The RLEF does some great work and are doing their best. But they operate on a paltry, pathetic, woefully low amount of £200k.

Until the real RL authorities, the RFL, NZRL, NRL & ARL, take international RL seriously then we'll be left with poor organisation. Resulting in players pulling out except in World Cup years, no long term strategy & no set international calendar. Then we wonder why media, sponsors and fans don't pay it much attention.

The team was also missing Thomas Bosc. Let's not let logistics get in the way here, Catalans finished 2 weeks ago, after a mad Monday etc, won't have gone into camp until the week after. Elite 1 comp has just started and clubs didn't release their players until Monday. So a maximum 3 training sessions before the game without 5/6 of their top players over the past 5 years.

That's without me going into the unrest in the camp over pay. Don't let these issues get in the way of a rant Gutterfax.

Did your missus run off with a Frenchman? You have a real downer on the Catalans.

Regardless of if all the Catalans players were rested and regardless of when the elite comp starts, France should defeat Ireland every day of the week. France has a rich history of RL, Ireland has none.

Catalans being in SL we were assured was going to boost French RL.......so far, this has not happened. Yes, there are French players at UK clubs for the coming season and this is progress, but as it stands, France's performances at International level have not been enhanced as a result of their best players playing in the SL.

As for being down on the club? Not at all.........other than you being our hated derby rivals, I have no opinion either way. The fact is, that France were terrible at the RLWC and have now plunged even further downwards with a defeat to the Irish.

Maybe in future the french should just say TBH we can't be d,can you pick Greece or Serbia instead

You're doing a huge dis service to the players in the Irish team, the France players and supporters will be (correctly) disappointed in the weekend's result, but what incentive is there for France to play? They are already assured of a World Cup spot. Do this group of players want to be hammered by New Zealand, Australia and England in two years time?
Given the start Catalans had this season after a World Cup, why do they need the extra games?

Yes, France should be more competitive, but to lay the door squarely at Catalans door is an unreasoned and thoughtless argument. Are the RFL not to blame for not offering Toulouse an opportunity to apply for a licence? This would have grown the talent pool available to the French to choose from?

Players like Pelissier and Escare are now starting to come through the system, and before them, Bousquet, Simon and Duport but until a top quality half back comes through, France will never have a side capable of challenging at international level. That has to be the challenge for the Catalans within the next few years.

Unfortunately you just can't create players, You should know, London have been trying for the past 34 years.

IMO, they should. The same players can't play (and shouldn't be expected to play) a 27 game season, plus cup and play-off games, then go straight into an international tournament.

It's slightly different for other squads (not playing at as high a level, not as many strains on the body etc) where they can select from a wide number of 'professional clubs'. There is one in France.

I can't believe that I forgot the omission of Thomas Bosc from the team. That means that the following talent was missing from the French team:

Morgan Escare
Vincent Duport
Thomas Bosc
Gregory Mounis
Olivier Elima
Remi Casty

So six of the eight most talented French players (I would add to the group of most talented Pelissier and Baitieri) are missing from the team. Yes, France should have won with the talent available. However it is hard to imagine France losing if all the missing talents were playing.

well Jean, we will never know because apparently after a hard season of cup, league and play-off games, the white flag waving surrender monkeys didn't feel that representing their country was important enough and instead fielded a team of 2nd grade players who were beaten by a team of amateur and semi-professional 2nd generation Irishmen.
Personally, I'd bite my arm off for the chance to represent my country at any sport......maybe it's just not the "French way"?

Forgive me.......I could have sworn that French RL purchased the RLWC trophy and that French RL has a rich history in the game. I should have realised that they of course need maybe more than the 60+'year head start on London to get 3 players in the SL grand final.
As for the Toulouse for SL debate.......bollox. Stop cramming the dragons with imports before you ask for another team......

Its not just one season though is it. Some of the French players haven't had a proper off season for years, some since they came out of the elite in 2006. Because most of the pro players are in one club, it puts a strain on those players and the club.




Nice backtrack