France

[OomStruisbaai]

What is wrong with them? They have such strong club performances. The URC countries played really well on the weekend.

[Marylandolorian]

Let see, where shall we start?

[Uncle fester]

Too much variety of cheese

[Jim Lahey]

Too much variety of cheese

I'd be inclined to blame their lazy bastard, entitled air traffic controllers for the country's decline.

[Tichtheid]

Dupont's reputation is growing, even in his absence and rightly so. I thought there would be a difference without him, but not this much - he was absolutely ripping it up with Toulouse prior to going to the 7s.

There's obviously more to it than that, but I think it's a significant factor.

Also - what's right with Italy that was soooo wrong at the World Cup?

[PornDog]

Dupont's reputation is growing, even in his absence and rightly so. I thought there would be a difference without him, but not this much - he was absolutely ripping it up with Toulouse prior to going to the 7s.

There's obviously more to it than that, but I think it's a significant factor.

Also - what's right with Italy that was soooo wrong at the World Cup?

Wont be the only thing, but Lame Duck Coach versus New Coach Bounce will be a part of it.

[Tichtheid]

Dupont's reputation is growing, even in his absence and rightly so. I thought there would be a difference without him, but not this much - he was absolutely ripping it up with Toulouse prior to going to the 7s.

There's obviously more to it than that, but I think it's a significant factor.

Also - what's right with Italy that was soooo wrong at the World Cup?

Wont be the only thing, but Lame Duck Coach versus New Coach Bounce will be a part of it.

I had forgotten that Crowley and his sidekick were still there during the RWC, they really didn't come across well in that Netflix thing.

[sturginho]

Dupont's reputation is growing, even in his absence and rightly so. I thought there would be a difference without him, but not this much - he was absolutely ripping it up with Toulouse prior to going to the 7s.

There's obviously more to it than that, but I think it's a significant factor.

Also - what's right with Italy that was soooo wrong at the World Cup?

Wont be the only thing, but Lame Duck Coach versus New Coach Bounce will be a part of it.

I had forgotten that Crowley and his sidekick were still there during the RWC, they really didn't come across well in that Netflix thing.

Not sure which sidekick wer'e talking about? Goosen? In which case he's still there, but leaving after the 6N (or after the summer, I can't remember)

[OomStruisbaai]

Thought France paid the Italian flyhalf to hit the post. That would have been a massive win for the Italians.

[Tichtheid]

Wont be the only thing, but Lame Duck Coach versus New Coach Bounce will be a part of it.

I had forgotten that Crowley and his sidekick were still there during the RWC, they really didn't come across well in that Netflix thing.

Not sure which sidekick wer'e talking about? Goosen? In which case he's still there, but leaving after the 6N (or after the summer, I can't remember)

The other Kiwi, Neil Barnes.

[Paddington Bear]

Dupont's reputation is growing, even in his absence and rightly so. I thought there would be a difference without him, but not this much - he was absolutely ripping it up with Toulouse prior to going to the 7s.

There's obviously more to it than that, but I think it's a significant factor.

Also - what's right with Italy that was soooo wrong at the World Cup?

Wont be the only thing, but Lame Duck Coach versus New Coach Bounce will be a part of it.

I had forgotten that Crowley and his sidekick were still there during the RWC, they really didn't come across well in that Netflix thing.

Yep, you can see how you would not want to play for them. Coaching Italy seemed beneath them for most of it

[sockwithaticket]

Most coaches view Italy as a potential springboard to greater things rather than actually wanting to sort Italy out I think. It's why they should have tried to stick with O'Shea. He might not have been getting it done for them on field (who has?), but he seemed invested in sorting out their structures and pathways in order to better the national team. As an outsider it doesn't seem like any of their other recent coaches have really been so interested in augmenting Italian rugby as a whole.

[sturginho]

Most coaches view Italy as a potential springboard to greater things rather than actually wanting to sort Italy out I think. It's why they should have tried to stick with O'Shea. He might not have been getting it done for them on field (who has?), but he seemed invested in sorting out their structures and pathways in order to better the national team. As an outsider it doesn't seem like any of their other recent coaches have really been so interested in augmenting Italian rugby as a whole.

I think this is an unfair characterisation, I think that most of the coaches who have come to Italy in the last 20 years have had good intentions at least to start with, but have quickly found the politics of Italian rugby make it impossible tofor them to do much more than pick the team (and sometimes not even that) so they simply give up. As an example look how Jaques Brunel went from saying positive things about collaboration with the clubs etc, to simply "look, I just pick the team."
In o'Shea's case, he was there at the same time as Stephen Aboud who deserves most of the credit for making the big changes to the academy system that has seen our u20's become so competitive in recent years. But even o'Shea had the same problems with making the changes he wanted, he ended up leaving before his contract was up
I think the same applies to Crowley, who started off travelling up and down the country trying to work with the clubs only to be ultimately sacked over player selection.

I hope the same doesn't happen to Quesada, but from what we have seen so far, he is quite skilled in getting his own way, and he does also have German Fernandez there backing him up.

[sockwithaticket]

Fair enough, like I fully conced I have the limited perspective of the outsider. It's just always come across to me that foreign coaches who pick an international job at smaller countries are usually trying to get 'international coach' on their CV with an eye on progression to their own national team, whereas foreign coaches not interested in that pick up club roles.

[OomStruisbaai]

Italy have exciting youngsters coming through. Zebre have improved a lot since last year. Pretty sure they are on the up.

[tabascoboy]

Since they blew their chances at the RWC last year, it's now 7s Olympic Gold as the goal...?

Antoine Dupont inspired France's men to their first sevens title in 19 years as they beat injury-hit Great Britain 21-0 in the final in Los Angeles.

Dupont, who is missing this year's Six Nations to focus on sevens with a view to playing in the Olympics, came off the bench to set up the final try.

It was France's first sevens title since 2005 and Dupont says the Olympic hosts "can beat anyone".

"I started this Olympic project to get a medal - obviously a gold," he said.

"We're a very ambitious squad who are looking to claim a gold medal in the summer. We're all aiming for it."

[Marylandolorian]

^ Yep, and we all know the result when France hosts a sporting event (beside 98 foosball)