By Luke Phillips
November 28th 2009 @ 1:31am
Related coverage
Bok bashers France eye All Blacks scalp
France play New Zealand on Saturday with a fantastic chance to claim a second antipodean scalp after having already seen off world and Tri-Nations champions South Africa.
The French team produced a storming physical display against the Springboks, causing problems at scrum time and also out-competing the visiting, combative back-row forwards in the loose.
“We’ve won two of the last three matches against New Zealand, including the World Cup quarter-final,” said France coach Marc Lievremont.
“It’s the last Test of their season, that on which they will be judged. More than us.
“Not seeking to play down the affair but a defeat would be less dramatic for us than for New Zealand, even if we would obviously be very disappointed.”
The All Blacks have suffered four defeats this season, but have hit some form since kicking off their current tour with a win over Australia in Japan, seeing off Wales, Italy and England without really hitting second gear.
“We know we’ll have to do a lot more to beat the All Blacks on Saturday,” admitted France captain Thierry Dusautoir, who guided his team to the 20-13 win over the Springboks and a facile 43-5 victory over Samoa.
“The pressure’s been building to a crescendo since last weekend,” the Ivory Coast-born flanker said.
“If we succeed in beating New Zealand, we’ll be able to say that we’ve really evolved and to draw some conclusions.
“It’s a great test that we face this weekend.”
Lievremont has importantly recalled big-kicking Damien Traille at full back and the outstanding Fabien Barcella at loosehead prop, two of seven changes from the side that defeated Samoa.
The coach’s sole concern has been in the back row, with Louis Picamoles and Imanol Harinordoquy ruled out through injury.
Fulgence Ouedrago returns from injury to line up alongside No 8 Julien Bonnaire and Dusautoir.
New Zealand coach Graham Henry has made three changes to his team that saw off England 19-6 last weekend, Neemia Tialata coming in for Owen Franks at tight-head prop, Jerome Kaino replacing Adam Thompson at blindside flanker and Zac Guildford making way for Cory Jane on the right wing.
“The French will be a passionate, physical side who are undefeated at home in their November Tests so it will be another huge Test for the All Blacks,” Henry said.
New Zealand full-back Mils Muliaina, who captained the All Blacks in two Tests against France in the summer – the first of which was won 27-22 by the French in Dunedin, hoped his team were ready to deliver.
“We’re building a little bit of momentum and hopefully on Saturday we’ll get out there and explode,” said the Samoa-born Muliaina, set to become the second most capped All Black with 82 appearances.
“We stepped up a bit in the England Test and we’ll keep working on cutting loose and taking the right options.
“There’s no doubting how big a game this is for us given how we went this year and how the French have gone so far in the autumn season.
“To lose four Test matches this season has been disappointing. A win on Saturday means we can get home, sit on the beach and feel much better.”
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Knives Out said | November 29th 2009 @ 7:00am | Report comment
Only 62 minutes played and it is clear that NZ are so far ahead of the rest of the world. Next year they will be awesome.
pothale said | November 29th 2009 @ 7:40am | Report comment
I agree KO.
As I watched this in the pub, I felt an article coming on. In the first half, I was thinking ‘there is no SH v NH anymore – there’s France and New Zealand, and then there’s the rest.
By the end of the match, it was ‘there’s New Zealand and the rest of the world.
They were simply irresistable. Fantastic stuff. Carter, Jane, McCaw, Muliana all caught my eye. The ball in hand play was superb. The French made some fantastic penetrating runs and ball in hand plays. Both teams simly make a mockery of all the whining about ELVs and the effect they’ve wrought. I wonder would Henry revise his thinking about the game following tonight’s match. It’s not the Laws, it’s the rugby, stupid.
There is no gulf between SH and NH this year. South Africa are faux champions of the 3N, and they were found out by the end of the year by France and Ireland.
Tonight showed us how the game could and should be played.
Say goodbye to the SH/NH rivalry. Now it’s just NZ vs Everyone else.
Knives Out said | November 29th 2009 @ 7:45am | Report comment
I’ve been saying this for months – France, like SA, are very beatable. Why? Because their game plan relies on physical dominance. Match them for aggression and it’s game on.
NZ were excellent, and France also added to an engaging contest. I was stunned to see the French pulverise the NZ scrum in the 1st half but not so stunned to see NZ click the way they did. They are an outstanding team and next year with the depth they have discovered this season they could be stunningly good.
Completely agree about NZ and the rest, although I’m sure a lot of others won’t.
katzilla said | November 29th 2009 @ 7:54am | Report comment
I disagree.
NZ will be 3rd or 4th favourites at the next world cup.
Your attempts to put us back into the box seat in order to have us choke in 2011 are transparent!
Parisien said | November 29th 2009 @ 9:45am | Report comment
Sorry to be a spoilsport, but don’t agree with either of you. Yes it was a good and enjoyable game, and New Zealand played very well but we’ve seen it all before, a NZ team crush a French team, and a French team fail to live up to the pre-match hype and then for following matches to confound expectations.
And I’m not sure why you go on about the NH v SH all the time. It only shows you are being unduly influenced by journalists.
There is not that much difference between the top eight teams, the results confirm it.
Ora said | November 29th 2009 @ 9:58am | Report comment
I would say on tonights result there is a huge gap between the ABs and France, A side is only as good as their last performance and the Kiwis were in another class and then some. Maybe all the head butting after the first scrum killed the few remaining brain cells some of the French boys had.
Knives Out said | November 29th 2009 @ 9:23pm | Report comment
Oh, the old ‘France hasn’t turned up again’ myth. Well, I’m sorry to be a spoil sport but we have rarely seen France confound expectations at any point this decade bar a handful of games. There is not much difference between 2-7 but there NZ is undoubtedly the number 1 team. They destroyed France and France, as I explained the other day, has no ‘Plan B’. They were routed, absolutely routed.
pothale said | November 29th 2009 @ 7:49am | Report comment
It’s myth that is propagated conveniently by the relevant unions. SH dominance is a myth. The veil has been lifted from my eyes tonight. And also about this scaremongering and obfuscation about the Laws of the Game. Just play the ball and play the game – and everything else will flow from that.
A fitting game to end the year, and as a fillip to the season as it continues into next month’s league and cup games.
katzilla said | November 29th 2009 @ 7:52am | Report comment
I think some credit needs to go to Rolland. He reffed the scrums well, NZ got dominated in first one, France attempt to push up to force a similar penalty at next and are duly penalised. Even if he was wrong at either he gave the impression that he knew exactly what was happening.
He kept the rucks flowing, McCaw was penalised at the appropriate times and only once do i remember thinking someone was hard done by (Ouedrago on his feet and penalised)
He communicated well, drew a line in the sand and wasn’t a pedant.
This performance is bittersweet – WHERE THE H3LL WAS THIS IN THE 3N????
Im at least glad we managed to click once this season.
ohtani's jacket said | November 29th 2009 @ 7:55am | Report comment
Yeah, the ref was extremely good.
Jerry said | November 29th 2009 @ 12:50pm | Report comment
“Ouedrago on his feet and penalised”
Actually, I thought he got that call right too. He looked to be bridging. Both forearms looked to be on the ground supporting him.
ohtani's jacket said | November 29th 2009 @ 7:53am | Report comment
I don’t think it was as good as the 2004 win, but it was a vintage All Black performance and one we’ve been waiting for. Henry did a good job of managing the tour and the backs have looked a lot better since the reshuffle.
pothale said | November 29th 2009 @ 8:03am | Report comment
OJ/Katzilla
You’re being modest. Don’t worry I’ll happily blow trumpets on your behalf. NZ were outstanding. The best I’ve seen them play in 5 years. Forget vintage talk.
Katzilla is right -where the hell was this performance during 3N? SA are faux champions – they will disintegrate from this point on.
PS Rolland is Irish with French parentage. Having the dual lingo helps – and French teams have great time for him as a result.
Ora said | November 29th 2009 @ 9:33am | Report comment
It was fantastic to see Corey Jane play one of the best games I have ever seen him play be it Internationally or domestically. Then again the All Blacks were all over this game and seemed could not put a foot wrong. Credit to the French they were competitive for the first twenty minutes however as is typical of French sides frustration was quick to set in once the score board began ticking against them. I’m also a little miffed as why it took so long for this team to click however one can not ignore the huge injury toll New Zealand had in the June Tests and leading into the Tri-Nations. Had they had the full squad fit and able way back then it is scary to think of how good they could and can be after a little time together. France also could be a huge threat coming into 2011 and need to quickly regroup after this defeat and carry the momentum they did have prior into 2010 and the 6 Nations.
Viscount Crouchback said | November 29th 2009 @ 10:05am | Report comment
Arrogance tonight from France – they thought they could take NZ on in a game of open rugby. Newflash: you can’t. The All Blacks remain peerless when it comes to the basics of running rugby. Superb lines, flawless ball handling, fantastic support plays. They’ve still got it.
But, as the Boks have shown, NZ are perfectly beatable in a game of kick-chase.
P.S. NZ aren’t half as good without Carter or McCaw, what? It just shows how critics should pay a little bit more attention to a team’s injury list before passing judgment.
Ora said | November 29th 2009 @ 10:10am | Report comment
That they were VC however the rest of the world has woken up to the Boks gameplan and as has been shown on the NH tour now that they have been worked out the Boks are like headless chickens. I look forward to 2010 and the ensuing Tri-Nations barring another disastrous run of injuries for the New Zealanders I do not think we will see a repeat of 2009 for the ABs v SA matches
Viscount Crouchback said | November 29th 2009 @ 10:41am | Report comment
I think the ABs are certainly good enough to at least edge the Boks 2-1 in next year’s 3N (given that they will be playing them twice at home). But I don’t quite buy the Boks-are-found-out- line. I think they are a team that (more than most) require freshness and fitness to play their power game. They don’t quite have that at the moment, hence their poor results. But they will remain a formidable team between now and 2011.
But yes, for my money, the New Zealanders remain the alpha dogs of international rugger. The qualities shown by the All Blacks year in and year out – courage, perserverance, skill, stoicism, strength of will – are an absolute credit to their nation. This Blacks team is supposed to be in transition – like England, apparently! – and yet still they churn out win after win after win. It’s simply magnificent.
Ora said | November 30th 2009 @ 6:52am | Report comment
The thing is Viscount even though the New Zealanders lost 3-0 to South Africa this year the world apart from South Africa see the All Blacks as the number one team in the world as does the IRB, now that surely has to tell you something. There is a difference between team of the year and Number 1.
The world has considered the drubbing they(NZ) took this year in the 3N but they have weighed it up against the horrendous injury toll for the June Internationals, early 3N and the supurb display that they put on the table against the French. While the kiwis may not have flogged all in there way on this NH tour they certainly stepped up to the plate for the “Big Match” and showed the world how potent they are when they hit their straps with all players available.
Like every nation the All Blacks and French targeted this match as key in their progress the former also looking for redeemption and they certainly delievered in spades.
Humbleness is a virtue lost on a few South African posters here and it never ceases to amaze me how it doesn’t mean anything when South Africa aren’t winning!
Knives Out said | November 29th 2009 @ 9:25pm | Report comment
But NZ have a much improved pack since the 3N, and Carter… and Cory Jane. The team has balance and looked fresh. They were a joy to watch.
Sam Taulelei said | November 29th 2009 @ 12:43pm | Report comment
Undoubtedly the defining performance of the All Blacks this year and almost as dominant as their victory against Australia at Eden Park last year.
Respect and thanks to the French for also contributing to a fine game with their attitude in running the ball.
Finally a match worth staying up for and enjoying. The All Blacks were solid in most areas and at times brilliant in others, their ambition and confidence in running the ball from deep positions and willingness to counter attack from turnover ball was only matched by their desire and ruthlessness in defence.
Biggest improvers on tour, the All Blacks lineout (take a bow Tom Donnelly) and the All Blacks attack. They may not be a vintage All Blacks side but they’ve still proven they’re a notch above all opponents except the Boks this year.
Five tries against a top quality opponent at a ground they’ve only lost once before and without conceding a try is the best way to finish the year and enter summer. Well earned holiday boys, enjoy the break.
Sam Taulelei said | November 29th 2009 @ 12:46pm | Report comment
The coaching shuffle hasn’t appeared to be a negative move as some of the press had criticised and it’s hard not to argue that in the two problem areas this year (lineouts and tryscoring), it’s been a tonic and improvement. Gotta hand it to Henry, he’s an old dog but he can still reinvent himself and teach some new tricks.