What sort of French magic would it take to win RWC?
Columnist By Garth Hamilton, 18 Oct 2011 Garth Hamilton is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- All Blacks, France Rugby, Rugby Union, Rugby World Cup
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France (right) and New Zealand All Blacks scrum during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. AAP Image/AFP, Franck Fife
You know what, bugger it, I’m going for France. I’m taking my bat and my ball and I’m bailing out snail-side for the world cup final. I know they won’t win; not a ewe’s chance at a Dunedin B&S, but I’ll be buggered if I’ll just float along with the rest of the crowd and support New Zealand.
I don’t want to be like everyone else at the World Cup. That’s just not my bag, not how I roll.
I’m a goat, me.
Standing with my little goat chest all puffed out on top of Mount Solo with the winds of rage gently swaying my giant goat bollocks back and forward like a hairy pendulum of obstinacy.
But seriously, I don’t want to be like everyone else at this World Cup.
I certainly don’t want to be like the English team who took the Benny Hill approach to this world cup and were subsequently bundled out with as little grace as they trundled in. And I don’t want to be like the South Africans who were shamed by a vocal minority that blamed Bryce Lawrence for their exit in the quarter finals.
I don’t want to be like the Welsh who despite not beating a Tri Nations team for what, three years, convinced themselves that after a little razzle-dazzle their forced removal from the world cup somehow devalued it. More front than Brighton.
And I’m not sure I want to be like the Wallabies either.
There’s nothing wrong with getting blown out of town by the All Blacks in a world cup semi final. I’m not whingeing about that but I’m just not sure I like this wallaby team. I mean I like the Reds players; they’ve got the runs on the board – they played some great rugby this year.
And most of the Waratahs were pretty good too – in patches. The Force guys did OK given what they’ve got and so did the Rebels. Can’t say the same for the Brumbies but …
The Wallabies were just not greater than the sum of their parts.
Without discrimination, without personal vendetta, without appeal to hindsight or lack of sobriety I just don’t reckon Robbie Deans has done a great job as Wallaby coach.
That is just my bare goat-arsed opinion which has been, unlike his Wallabies, consistent and although I’m not pushing the line that he has become a bad coach, I think his performance has been below what he would have expected.
I base this on three key issues; our scrum problems have not been resolved, we don’t seem to play to an identifiable plan and, as mentioned, we have developed a capacity for inconsistency that is almost, well, French.
We haven’t stolen this albatross from their necks as the French are still as flaky as they’ve ever been but then, to be fair, their current team is carrying a genuinely awful coach.
Just like Australia, France lost to a lesser team in the pool rounds and, just like Australia, they have not been able to demonstrate a consistent and obviously planned strategy in any of their matches.
They have a better centre combination than Australia and, in Maxime Medard and Vincent Clerc, they have backs every bit as potent as Australia’s much hyped (over hyped?) young guns.
The big difference is in the forwards where, should they be struck by a fit of composure, the French can stand shoulder to shoulder with any pack in the world, including New Zealand’s.
You can go on and on about who deserves what and how much an All Black victory would mean to the people of Christchurch.
You can point to the immense games of Brad Thorn and Richie McCaw in their defeat of the Wallabies and how, after 24 years, its the time, its the place, it’s the vibe, it’s the constitution, it’s Mabo …
You go do that. I’m going to stand here with the wind on my balls, la Marsaillaise on my lips and I’m going to hope like hell for some magic on the weekend.
Crazy French goat magic.
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October 18th 2011 @ 5:50am
the other Steve - and All Black fan said | October 18th 2011 @ 5:50am | Report comment
What would it take?
Suzy the poisoner returning
The entire AB squad taking this week off and overnighting in brothels and nightclubs
Only AB training run is in the Eden Park carpark before the game.
the French having more performance enhancing drugs than the entire Tour de France
October 18th 2011 @ 10:06am
drop kick said | October 18th 2011 @ 10:06am | Report comment
it would just take the ABs being too arrogant and thinking the game is already won.
October 18th 2011 @ 10:15am
Riccardo said | October 18th 2011 @ 10:15am | Report comment
Not this time Droppie, surely not…
October 18th 2011 @ 10:51am
Lee said | October 18th 2011 @ 10:51am | Report comment
That’s what people said before Cardif – “1999 won’t repeat”
October 18th 2011 @ 12:33pm
the other Steve - and AB fan said | October 18th 2011 @ 12:33pm | Report comment
well, G.Henry won’t be making that mistake again.
October 20th 2011 @ 9:11am
guinness14 said | October 20th 2011 @ 9:11am | Report comment
these AB’s are not arrogant you dork, they are men for goodness sake and have worked hard for a long time to be where they are right now. so just put your hatetred for the AB’s aside.
October 19th 2011 @ 10:45am
Jokerman said | October 19th 2011 @ 10:45am | Report comment
Garth, I think they call it envy, or jealousy. You want what you desire, that someone else has, taken away. Sorry it’s not going to happen. Go The All Blacks!!!!!!
October 20th 2011 @ 9:15am
guinness14 said | October 20th 2011 @ 9:15am | Report comment
Jokerman, thats the word I was looking for, Drop Kick, the word is jealous.
October 18th 2011 @ 5:59am
MattyP said | October 18th 2011 @ 5:59am | Report comment
Easy answer: exactly the same as 4 years ago. Or same as 12 years ago. And Wayne Barnes to ref.
If they get their Gallic noses in front, we could have yet another game for the ages. That would be a nice change for a RWC final!
October 18th 2011 @ 6:19am
Viscount Crouchback said | October 18th 2011 @ 6:19am | Report comment
“The big difference is in the forwards where, should they be struck by a fit of composure, the French can stand shoulder to shoulder with any pack in the world, including New Zealand’s”.
This is precisely what would worry me if I was a New Zealander.
There’s such an enormous gap between the potential of the French team on paper and their current performances. At some point, surely, they close that gap?
October 18th 2011 @ 10:52am
Lee said | October 18th 2011 @ 10:52am | Report comment
That’s what I have been saying to my kiwi mates here in Wellington, the French are normally good for one game – we haven’t seen that game at the WC yet…
October 18th 2011 @ 6:20am
ChrisT said | October 18th 2011 @ 6:20am | Report comment
The English left their A game back in England alongside their B and still won the second half against the French playing game C.
If the Welsh were a cricket team playing the French there would have been the mother of all match fixing enquiries.
The Wallabies lucked their way to a semi but the French positively stole their way to the final. Even with the AB’s seriously missing Carter they will absolutely tonk this French team. Put your house on it.
October 18th 2011 @ 6:37am
Adams said | October 18th 2011 @ 6:37am | Report comment
I woulnd’t write them off, and despite them being cheese eating surrender monkies I will be singing La Marseillaise come kickoff. The French in their typical French way have done exactly what was required and not a whit more in this Cup.
They didn’t need to beat the AB’s so they didn’t. They didn’t need to beat Tonga. They did need to beat Wales and did.
They haven’t had an A game all tournament. I have a feeling one is brewing in the pot.
To paraphrase oh so many Kiwi’s during this cup, “Anyone but the All Blacks…”
October 18th 2011 @ 6:38am
Dublin Dave said | October 18th 2011 @ 6:38am | Report comment
Ten reasons why we should be glad if France win on Sunday.
10 A French victory is long overdue
Which is the greater travesty: that New Zealand have only won one World Cup or that France have won none? No contest. New Zealand will always have 1987. France are due a title.
9 France makes better wine than New Zealand
You know it’s true!
8 France has a magnificent national anthem….
Dull would he be of soul who could not feel an adrenalin surge when hearing La Marseillaise. Even if you don’t understand the words it gets the nerve ends tingling. If you can understand the words (“Let’s march on together and drench our furrows with the filthy blood of our enemies!”) it would make you want to run through a brick wall.
7…and New Zealand does not.
Much rubbish has been written about “the English speaking peoples” and the “Anglosphere” and their shared culture and values. Really the only thing that unites us is we all have shite national anthems. (In rugby terms, Ireland even has two!) Apart from those countries with a significant proportion of non English speakers like South Africa and Wales. Even Canada at a push.
Could you imagine a rendition of Advance Australia Fair or God Defend New Zealand being a highlight of a movie classic, as La Marseillaise has been in films like Casablance or LA Grand Illusion? I don’t think so.
6 French players have cooler names
Think back over the years. Gachassin, Camberabero, Bertranne, Bastiat, Paparemborde, Sadourny, Bernat-Salles. Or today there’s Harinordoquy and Dusautoir. What wonderful dramatic sonorous names! What has New Zealand got in reply? Carter, Meads, Thorne, Dagg.
Oh dear!
5 No team has produced more unforgettable world cup performances
Semi final against Australia in 1987.
Semi final against New Zealand in 1999.
Quarter final against New Zealand in 2007
Not to mention several exhibition matches that were not necessarily classic contests in between in which the French showed that when they play as they can, it’s the way the game was meant to be played.
4 France has the best back row in the tournament…
Dusaoutoir, Harinordoquy and Bonnaire. Who’s better? Warburton played well but got sent off. Pocock and McCaw are playing well too and perhaps should both have been sent off (for persistent infringements) but then ref didn’t bother clocking in for Australia’s quarter final and Richie just gets away with it because he’s special.
But each of these guys were standouts in their teams’ back rows. The French unit is the best in the tournament.
3 …and the best backs.
Clerc, Traille, Rougerie, Medard, Heymans, Trinh Duc, Yachvili. And not all of them will be playing. So much talent and only one game left for them to shine in!
2 France CAN win in Eden Park
France have won twice at Sunday’s venue, the last time in 1994 with “l’essai du bout du monde” perhaps the best try ever. Rivals Gareth Edwards for the Barbarians and I think shades even that masterpiece by coming in the final minutes of the game and turning the result around.
1 Because they just deserve it
The best record of any European country in the Southern Hemisphere. Four wins in New Zealand; four in Australia; six in South Africa. Also the best win ratio in the 5N/6N since the war. (I hate that word “winningest”) If that’s not enough to deserve raising the trophy then a stellar performance over 80 minutes definitely would be.
October 18th 2011 @ 7:58am
jeremy said | October 18th 2011 @ 7:58am | Report comment
Much as I disagree with points 1 through 10, this is a magnificent post.
October 18th 2011 @ 8:00am
thurl said | October 18th 2011 @ 8:00am | Report comment
pfff…the French put anti freeze in their wine….
and ‘Izzy Dagg’…come on whose got a better name than that?? His uncle Fred is emmensly proud
October 18th 2011 @ 3:04pm
Jeremy said | October 18th 2011 @ 3:04pm | Report comment
We don’t know how lucky we are, mate! We don’t know how propitious are the circumstances.
October 18th 2011 @ 6:45pm
Dublin Dave said | October 18th 2011 @ 6:45pm | Report comment
Thurl
I think you’ll find it was the Austrians who put anti freeze in their wine. Probably necessary in those chilly Alpine climes
October 18th 2011 @ 9:03am
Mungehead said | October 18th 2011 @ 9:03am | Report comment
Excellent post Dave. Just a few nits to pick:
10 They are certainly due a title. But not this year unless you want to see a grown man cry.
9 You need to drink more of our wine mate
8 Ain’t it the truth. Aux armes citoyens!
7 Try sticking your fingers in your ears after the first verse… it actually sounds pretty good in Maori.
6 What do you mean, Dagg is an awesome name!
5 But we’ve produced heaps of unforgettable performances… well… maybe not in the RWC…
4 Yeah right, Kaino, Read and McCaw rule! What twisted ankle? What sore foot?
3 Best backs? … When are we going to see them play then?
2 Sure they can. Come on up and teach us a lesson.
1 Yeah, but we just deserve it MORE! 20 years ffs!!!
October 18th 2011 @ 9:14am
Jerry said | October 18th 2011 @ 9:14am | Report comment
On your point 4, you mention McCaw but fail to note that Kaino has probably been the form player of the tournament.
October 18th 2011 @ 10:18am
Riccardo said | October 18th 2011 @ 10:18am | Report comment
Just about EVERYONE has failed to notice this Jerry. Kaino has been sublime…
October 18th 2011 @ 9:56am
Renegade said | October 18th 2011 @ 9:56am | Report comment
Surely this post was worth a thread itself lol – excellent work!
October 18th 2011 @ 11:19am
Rusty said | October 18th 2011 @ 11:19am | Report comment
Excellent post
October 18th 2011 @ 11:42am
Sprigs said | October 18th 2011 @ 11:42am | Report comment
Excellent piece of writing.
But I take issue with the bit about the names.
Check out the Biblical names give to those men in the ABs who will verily smite their opponents.
Israel Dagg
Isaia Toeava
And for somebody to give you pain, what better name than
Brad Thorn
This guy sounds like a lawn mower on pep pills
Victor Vito
A bloke to make you cry
Piri Weepu
And now, the perfect name for a prop, a real man.
Woodcock
October 18th 2011 @ 3:05pm
Jeremy said | October 18th 2011 @ 3:05pm | Report comment
You missed out our hooker who’s a Hore!
October 18th 2011 @ 12:29pm
jumpers said | October 18th 2011 @ 12:29pm | Report comment
Your comments are laughable and a joke! You probably don’t even understand the game you EGG!!!
October 18th 2011 @ 1:52pm
Strayan said | October 18th 2011 @ 1:52pm | Report comment
Dublin Dave’s post is one of the most entertaining this RWC, even if you don’t agree with it. I’ll back him to understand the game better than you, jumpers.
And calling him an egg? That must have hurt . . .
October 18th 2011 @ 6:35pm
Jonny G said | October 18th 2011 @ 6:35pm | Report comment
how old are you jumpers?
October 20th 2011 @ 9:21am
guinness14 said | October 20th 2011 @ 9:21am | Report comment
Jumpers just have to say I have not seen or heard that comment you EGG in a long time. That cracked me up, thanks.hehehe.
October 18th 2011 @ 2:42pm
Bob McGregor said | October 18th 2011 @ 2:42pm | Report comment
Great article DD – very entertaining post.
Hard to take offense at any of your points even though plenty will.
All tournament I’ve had a sneaking suspicion that France was foxing, holding back, waiting for the right time to pounce.
That time is, of course in the final so let’s hope their A-Team turns up and plays a blinder. The occassion deserves it after the ABs have rarely had to break into a sweat all tournament and hubris abounds across the ditch – after they easily put our Aussie mishmash away.
May the best team on the night prevail, hopefully refereed by either Barnes or Steve Walsh who shade Joubert in their control at the breakdown. But I’ll be staggered if Joubert doesn’t get the gig as it would conform with most of the key refereeing appointments made at this tournament.
Here’s to a truly brilliant final – even though logic suggests otherwise.
October 18th 2011 @ 3:24pm
Sage said | October 18th 2011 @ 3:24pm | Report comment
Dave, that is a very well written post, well done son.
October 18th 2011 @ 6:09pm
Brian said | October 18th 2011 @ 6:09pm | Report comment
One great reason didn’t make the list. If France win on Sunday Australia remains the most successful nation in RWC history. 3 Finals and 2 wins currently beats anyone else going around
October 18th 2011 @ 6:44pm
Cattledog said | October 18th 2011 @ 6:44pm | Report comment
Great post DD. I don’t want to doubt your translation in (8) above, but shouldn’t it be…”Let’s get someone else to march on before us and drench our furrows with the filthy blood of our enemies!” ?
October 18th 2011 @ 7:48pm
Dublin Dave said | October 18th 2011 @ 7:48pm | Report comment
Really Cattledog,
that’s a bit “sous la ceinture”.
October 18th 2011 @ 8:13pm
The Cattery said | October 18th 2011 @ 8:13pm | Report comment
…maybe, but he’s definitely sur le ballon
October 18th 2011 @ 8:35pm
Cattledog said | October 18th 2011 @ 8:35pm | Report comment
October 18th 2011 @ 8:32pm
Cattledog said | October 18th 2011 @ 8:32pm | Report comment
Perhaps, but sometimes the truth hurts
October 18th 2011 @ 8:35pm
Warren said | October 18th 2011 @ 8:35pm | Report comment
Top class DD!!!
October 19th 2011 @ 2:38am
Parisien said | October 19th 2011 @ 2:38am | Report comment
Thanks Dublin Dave for a great post and being one of the few who believe that there will be due merit if the French do get up on Sunday. It would be the mother of all upsets and make 1999 and 2007 look like warm-ups!
October 18th 2011 @ 6:53am
kingplaymaker said | October 18th 2011 @ 6:53am | Report comment
‘I base this on three key issues; our scrum problems have not been resolved, we don’t seem to play to an identifiable plan and, as mentioned, we have developed a capacity for inconsistency that is almost, well, French.’
Three answers:
1) Bad cattle.
2) Bad cattle.
3) Bad cattle.
1) Look at the terrible front-rowers Australian rugby produces.
2) No plan works when most of the team are worse than the opposition.
3) Mccabe, Faiingaa, AAC. Bad players in the backs.
Australian rugby does not produce enough good cattle for the Wallabies to come near the ABs: no coach can turn base metal into gold, not even Deans. If Merlin were available to coach he would not be able to make any more of this low quality stuff.
I can see the value of sympathising with France to some degree simply because of the colossal arrogance surrounding the All Blacks and Graham Henry’s graceless triumphalism.
Sadly, without Bastareaud and Heymans there may not be quite enough however well the rest play.
October 18th 2011 @ 9:11am
thesportsguy said | October 18th 2011 @ 9:11am | Report comment
singing the same old tune there KPM !
October 18th 2011 @ 9:24am
Mungehead said | October 18th 2011 @ 9:24am | Report comment
There are plenty of good Aussie players. Bad cattle is just a mantra used to excuse poor coaching.
October 18th 2011 @ 9:54am
kingplaymaker said | October 18th 2011 @ 9:54am | Report comment
Sorry Mungehead you can’t convince anyone that a team fielding Mccabe and Faiingaa in the centres and a pack outclassed in all positions but one, has no problems with cattle.
October 18th 2011 @ 9:59am
Jerry said | October 18th 2011 @ 9:59am | Report comment
You had plenty of other options in the centres – AAC, O’Connor, Barnes etc. Just cause your coach is the most conservative selector in the history of rugby and is allergic to X-factor players….
October 18th 2011 @ 10:15am
kingplaymaker said | October 18th 2011 @ 10:15am | Report comment
We didn’t really Jerry. AAC had to take over at full-back because we have no depth. AAC also has lost all his attacking ability this year but has to be chosen because there is no one else. O’Connor is too small to tackle Nonu and besides who goes wing then? Barnes doesn’t have the defensive impact of Mccabe, which was useful to keep Nonu and Kaino quiet.
Essentially this was more or less the best backline available, and the only real question was whether Barnes should start. Wayne Smith the journalist, one of Deans’ most fierce detractors, was happy with the squad and team.
It’s just they’re not good enough.
October 18th 2011 @ 10:22am
Jerry said | October 18th 2011 @ 10:22am | Report comment
O’Connor is not too small to tackle Nonu.
Genia is smaller and tackles anything & everything. Cruden is smaller still and tackled everything that came his way on Sunday.
And Barnes & O’Connor aren’t defensive chumps by any means, they’re both capable of defending that channel well and offering a lot more than a guy who runs straight into a prop with 3 guys outside him on a breakout.
October 18th 2011 @ 10:28am
Justin said | October 18th 2011 @ 10:28am | Report comment
Agree with Jerry – JOC is more than ready for 12 and really should have been there from the start of this year.
Turner is good under the high ball and can easily play wing or 15 if required if you dont want AAC.
October 18th 2011 @ 7:04pm
Cattledog said | October 18th 2011 @ 7:04pm | Report comment
KPM, Deans stated players would be selected on performance, not reputation. So he drops Giteau. Fine, that takes care of that point!!!
Realistically, there were better players (on performance) left in Australia. We selected players that had little to no game time, were injured and then persisted with injuries. Dean’s selections were to say the least, woeful and his game day management bazaar.
You then have the situation where with about 7 mins to go in a semi-final and two converted tries required with an AB back in the bin, you have a team spending 5 mins trying to fight through a forward pack that hadn’t given an inch all day? Sure, that comes down to the players using their heads, but I’m afraid it also comes down to coaching, or perhaps they never thought they would be in such a position.
Sorry, whilst individual players have to man up and take some responsibility, clearly, the triumvirate have a lot to answer for.
October 18th 2011 @ 9:59am
atad said | October 18th 2011 @ 9:59am | Report comment
they weren’t the best cattle but they were selected, massive difference. Does NZ have bad cattle because zac guilford is in the squad. I could think of better cattle still out in the pasture rene ranger, hosea gear, sivivatu, masaga, fruen etc. Bad coaching from Deans, the 2 of them shouldn’t be there.
October 18th 2011 @ 10:16am
kingplaymaker said | October 18th 2011 @ 10:16am | Report comment
Then who on earth is better?
October 18th 2011 @ 12:51pm
kingplaymaker said | October 18th 2011 @ 12:51pm | Report comment
Justin my larger point was that we have weaker backs than NZ.
The fact that Jerry mantioned AAC, who has been dire all year, but needs ot be selected for want of alternatives, shows how bad things are.
October 18th 2011 @ 2:03pm
Mungehead said | October 18th 2011 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
I’ve taken some time to think about this and I feel the talk of replacements is a complete side issue. The current team is not what I personally would have picked, nor I’m sure what Graham Henry would have picked, but it undeniably has potential. The issue is not that Australian players are crap, just that they’re not performing at their best. You can blame some of the players for that, but it’s a fat kind of coincidence if it should be that way for so many of them. There’s an awful lot more to coaching than just picking players.
You mentioned AAC specifically. Nonu and Jane were also dire all year, and they were even given the boot from the Hurricanes because of their bad attitudes; despite this, they were selected and it wasn’t like there was the excuse of no alternatives because we have plenty. The public barely had time to protest at that decision before Nonu and Jane had turned it around and since then they have each given, not in every game but over time, a number of absolutely first-class performances. Even that idiot Rattue described Nonu as the player most likely to win the tournament for us rather than to throw it away, which for him was a complete U turn. It’s not as if bringing players in despite everything was an isolated case either, what about the story of Ali Williams?
So in Australia, how come Two-dads isn’t performing, Cooper isn’t performing, Sharpe isn’t performing to the point where he’s not even good enough for a spot on the bench and Giteau isn’t even in the squad? What about Turner, for all his potential, how is he doing? Elsom is good enough to make the side, but it seems he’s under sufference, when if ever is he going to give that man-of-the-match performance? Rebuilding be damned, George Smith is the same age as our one-legged McCaw, why isn’t he still in the side?
I could go on and on and on and on but this is in severe danger of turning into a rant so I’m going to give you the right of reply before I start foaming at the mouth.
October 18th 2011 @ 5:31pm
Chuck said | October 18th 2011 @ 5:31pm | Report comment
Sorry Munghead and Jerry seems some people have the decency to refer to the guys as players not cattle.
October 18th 2011 @ 10:05am
Ian Whitchurch said | October 18th 2011 @ 10:05am | Report comment
“1) Look at the terrible front-rowers Australian rugby produces.”
Interestingly, rugby union front-rowers are probably the one set of players that competing codes dont want at all.
October 18th 2011 @ 10:14am
sailosi said | October 18th 2011 @ 10:14am | Report comment
Why is that interesting?
October 18th 2011 @ 5:29pm
Chuck said | October 18th 2011 @ 5:29pm | Report comment
Why the hell do so many posters on this site refer to the players as cattle?
FFS they don’t look in the slightest bit bovine, it is one of the stupidest terms I have ever heard anywhere.
October 18th 2011 @ 6:37pm
Jonny G said | October 18th 2011 @ 6:37pm | Report comment
If you’ve ever played rugby at subbies and club level then you grow up with forwards being referred to as cattle or as the piggies
October 18th 2011 @ 8:14pm
Chuck said | October 18th 2011 @ 8:14pm | Report comment
I’ve played rugby since I was 6 years old and still playing now senior reserves and never in my life have I ever heard the forwards been refered to as cattle.
Like I said above it is the most stupid term I have ever heard to refer to players.
October 18th 2011 @ 6:58am
Moaman said | October 18th 2011 @ 6:58am | Report comment
The only magic on sunday will be of the black persuasion.
October 18th 2011 @ 7:12am
madbotcher said | October 18th 2011 @ 7:12am | Report comment
Im more so on edge now that we have to face France again. We must not listen to the majority of the media saying its in the bag for NZ. I hope Henry hammers this in to his players.
October 18th 2011 @ 7:57am
kiwidave said | October 18th 2011 @ 7:57am | Report comment
Absolutely, anytime you think you have it in the bag you are vulnerable.
October 18th 2011 @ 8:00am
jeremy said | October 18th 2011 @ 8:00am | Report comment
How many players would’ve been in the squad that exited in 2007? McCaw, Thorn, Mealamu, Carter (presumably as an adviser), Nonu, Smith, Kaino, Hore, Woodcock, plus the coaches. That should be ample numbers to forewarn of the impending finale. France are mercurial, in a word, and it will take a greater effort than that against Australia to peel them open.
October 20th 2011 @ 9:45am
guinness14 said | October 20th 2011 @ 9:45am | Report comment
Yeah I am more on edge now than the semi final against the Wallabies. I am sure our AB’s are on edge too. I would like them to take this out for the fans, nz and especially for DC, Mils who are out of this team because of injury. For brad Thorrn, the war horse, Mealamu and all our wonderful players that are leaving our shores. Now they can go overseas, play rugby and enjoy it without having this massive amount of pressure that we the fans and the world have placed on their shoulders. I for one have enjoyed the roller coaster ride with these guys. Good luck. Love the AB’s.
October 18th 2011 @ 7:17am
The_Dude said | October 18th 2011 @ 7:17am | Report comment
Just imagine!
That would be more than tragic for the whole Cup, but such is the game, it’s not your form coming into the Final that counts, it’s the final result itself…
ABs will be 60/40 confident after their last game and the recent meeting with the French where Carter imposed his wizardry, but guess what, he’s not there!
Don’t write them off, although I would much prefer the ABs to finally win and put an end to their depressing history at RWCs.