“French rugby bosses expect national coach Marc Lievremont and his side to return from their three-Test tour of the southern hemisphere in June with at least one victory.”

Now that said victory has been banked, will the French play like they are on holiday or will they play like emancipated men for the rest of the tour? (My suspicion: the former, certainly this coming weekend.)

Murray Deaker has made the (obvious) point that virtually all of Henry’s losses have come with McCaw or Carter (or both) injured, and Saturday was just another in that sequence. Remember that Carter started Cardiff in a crocked state, and came off early in the second half. This I think is the point Spiro is making about the Cardiff and Dunedin losses being similar, in that the All Blacks failed to bring the game home when they had got themselves in a position to do so. In both cases Carter was not on the field. Great players are called great for a reason.

What was most alarming for me about the All Blacks performance was that the “three wise men” had had 3 months to prepare a list of “things we must specially remember to practice before playing the French”. I would have thought “defending rolling mauls” would be very obviously placed at the top of this list (given that such have not featured in S14 for the last 2 seasons), but Steve Hanson has publicly admitted that they completely forgot about this.

Finally: guys, please loosen up and allow Spiro some literary licence!

Yes your right the NH teams have got better but Italy are just not in the same class as their 6 Nations partners are they?
The French team were exceptional on the weekend and totally dictated the pace and style of the game. But for all their dominance they only beat a very weak All Black side by 5pts. Relaity has it seems to been let go at the first oppurtunity to put a boot into someone when they are down. We Aussies are quick to claim rugby greatness when we have strung together two very ordinary wins over inferior opposition. I wait with baited Breath to see how the Springboks and Lions go this weekend as I feel this will be the only game worth watching. Surely the Wallabies will post a cricket score on the Italians its a no brainer really and the All Blacks should come back and beat the French they will not be happy with their effort in Dunedin.
The big Uncertainty is how the Lions and Springboks will perform I’d like to see the Brits and Irish get one up on the South Africans.
I know it has been pointed out on various occasions already but the French team were nowhere near as weak as has been made out and the New Zealanders were missing 7 or 8 starting players thats half the team not to mention certain bench players. The French were in no way impacted to the same extent.

The scoreline flattered the All Blacks who played more like the All Greys.”

What twaddle.

A) It can’t be considered their B side.
B) The All Blacks were decimated by injury.
C) Only a fool thought this test wouldn’t be competitive.
D) The scoreline was an accurate summation of the game, the French taking the chances offered and the All Blacks playing most of the game, but losing the collision.

The triumvirate have shown they are quick learners after being taught a lesson. I expect this week will have focus on the scrum, maul and collision. The back row will be better balanced with a true, if green, openside instead of the mistake of transforming a blindside. Additionally, Kaino may be back which means Reed can bugger off. He achieved the previously thought impossible mission of being more invisible than his Canterbury predecessor.

I expect a more competitive test in Wellington, with no certainty for the result.

One loss seems to have really brought out the New Zealander bashers and egos. Ok they lost to Fance but lets get realistic this French team is close to their best where as the All Blacks are not. The mighty Wallabies only beat woeful Italy 31-8 yet once again we’re banging our chests about how great we are. I was expecting a scoreline closer to the 50+ mark. Much has been made about the All Blacks not being able to deal with the rolling maul and how Australia we managed very well. Ah hello I don’t know if anyone has woken up from dreamland yet but we were playing Italy people they’re not even in the top ten nations.

As for the training lessons I think Carter should be showing those AFL boys a thing or two especially the Tigers

“Also, a bit of a moot point talking about not taking a drop goal, it’s just not in NZ teams mentality.”

He does have a point though doesn’t he? Perhaps the ABs need to have a more all round game plan for those tough matches, because insisting on trying to get a try when you can’t string phases together, the defence is resolute and you’re behind on the scoreboard just doesn’t make an awful lot of sense…

Would love to read his analysis when the All Blacks won a game, considering he could never once seem to jump on a kiwi teams bandwagon during the Super 14.

Also, a bit of a moot point talking about not taking a drop goal, it’s just not in NZ teams mentality.

Also this sentence

“Down 17 – 3 at half-time (the same score line, ironically, at Canberra but with the Wallabies in the lead against Italy), the All Blacks focused their play better and struggled their way to 17 – 17, with a strong chance to win a now unexpected – and undeserved up to this stage – victory.”

Well, the score was 17-11 at halftime, but you say then a strong chance to win?? Nothing that I saw ever had me thinking the the AB’s were in a position to win. French always had the upper hand.

What do you mean by this? The French were dominant in Cardiff?

Henry’s record is 55-9. If you take away the Rustenburg loss in 2006, the All Blacks could have potentially racked up a 24 Test winning streak. Take away the Newlands loss in 2005 and it balloons out to 31 straight wins. Who’s catching that in the next quarter of a century?

In that time, they’ve won more close games than they’ve lost. They came unstuck at the World Cup and they’ve come unstuck on other occasions, but it’s a complete myth that they can’t close out games.

You make some good points though George had a shocking night and on the strength of Robbie Deans assertions that no-ones got a mortgage on his spot Phil Waugh should get #6 for the next game. He’s in the team,he’s senior to Pocock and his form in the S14s was good, arguably the best of the three 6′s

I agree about Waldrom. He was the best foreward for the Crusaders and should have got #8.

I still find it difficult to understand the lack of intensity shown by the AB forewards. No-one stepped up to take a leadership role. Same applies to the backs really. Neither Donald or McAlister (who didn’t impress with the BaBaas) are natural Captains.

That said , it’s here you see a difference with the Wallabies, where Robbie Dens has 35 players keen to play, and three captains in the forewards and two in the backs.

With Richie McCaw leading the pack I’d expect a reversal of form with no other changes. That might be enough to take the second game.
Rgardless of the outcome Les Bleus are here to play and I’ll be disappointed if there isn’t a good turnout for France v Australia, venue aside.

I have observed that generally the Australians seem far more robust than the NZders. I would also contend that we have as much depth as NZ at the moment. Based on a expanded squad of 35 players.

I still maintain that the main issue from the NZ loss was the very puzzling selections. Why cant Henry simply pick the next best player in a position if the incumbent is injured. It becomes ridiculous when you have 3 x 6′s playing 6,7 and 8. Would Waldrom have let them down? Me thinks not.

Where are Lote, Timana, Beale et al playing while they wait for the call up? Club footy against weekend warriors and nuff-nuff’s.

No Australia A program? Absurd.

After the French win on Saturday night, and the hugely increased interest in the Wellington game, I think the essay will get a lot of hits.

For example, I’m positing that had a non-concussed Richie been playing on Saturday night it might well have added 2 points to the AB scoreline. And if Carter had been playing, there’s another two. Add one point for Williams, and another for Sivi, and a half point each for Kahui,
Smith and So’oialo and that’s a total of 7 1/2 points in this admitedly suspect system.

The points for France? Tres dificile. But there have been games where Harinordoquy
has been outstanding, so he gets 2 points from me. Para, Bonnaire, Rougerie, Mas and Domingo each get half a point, and I’m giving Skrela a full point for a French total of 5 1/2 points.

So the AB’s win by two points. But France beat them by five points on the score board, so the ABs lose by three points (adjusted).

You buy it?
I thought not.

If we do get the Bledisloe back, NZ will get the dirts!!!