France v Ireland preview
In the lead up to this World Cup there was something romantic about the idea of France and Ireland being genuine contenders.
It was nice to think that the French flair had been refined enough and the Irish adventure directed enough to match the firepower of the southern hemisphere’s big three. Sadly this romance didn’t last and the rugby world has woken up to a colder reality.
This pool was titled the ‘pool of death’. After this game one of two great rugby nations’ world cup hopes will almost certainly die. France cannot afford to lose a second game and Ireland, on current form, do not look like a team capable of beating the ruthlessly clinical but limited Argentineans. How did the two best teams of the last two Six Nations
tournaments roll over so quickly?
France are certainly not done yet but it has been a long time since they last played the sort of champagne rugby that they so desperately need to start producing. In fact whilst the French have continued their dominance in the Six Nations it has been a long time since they really gave a southern hemisphere team a good run.
Ireland have performed far better in recent years against the southern teams but their fall from grace over the first two weeks of the world cup has been simply amazing. How could a team that pushed New Zealand at home in two games last June struggle to beat Georgia?
With neither side possessing a scrum that you’d write a book about and with both backlines misfiring badly this will be a game of small advantages. Press them home and a win can be forged. Neglect them and you let the game slip from your grip.
With France, as host nation, carrying the weight of an expecting public and government and Ireland fielding by far and away the best on-paper team ever to leave the Emerald Isle neither side needs any more of a burden to carry. Unfortunately they simply cannot get away from the fact that the reputation of the entire northern hemisphere rests on the quality of this game.
It would be hard to see the home countries getting excited about the pointy end of the competition if it’s made up of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina. “Who cares” you ask? Well the man with the cheque book for a start. Just ask the Waratahs how much a loss of interest costs after the low gate takings of the season just passed.
For the sake of the World Cup, France needs to turn it on this Friday and bring back some of the romance.
Bumper
Guest
The good news for me is that I have 4 tickets to that quarter final and the irony of seeing France forced to play their quarter final outside of France in the French world cup is just delightful. As is the prospect of them tossing the All Blacks or at least softening them up a bit.
jack
Guest
Bob, the most gratifying thing about this scenario is that France would not only be playing away from home, but also be forced to wear their alternate jersey, by virtue of its extra-dark blue. The sweet irony of this is that the darker colour was chosen to force the All-Blacks to wear _their_ alternate strip in the event of a France/NZ final. I am assuming, of course, that the game will be deemed a home game for NZ as the higher-placed qualifier, and not decided by a coin toss, as the pool games are.
Jerry
Guest
Bob - France has only beaten the All Blacks once in a world cup. The last time they played on neutral grounds was in the 03 2003 playoff for 3rd place/"who wants to kiss your sister the most? match" , won by the All Blacks.
Bob McGregor
Guest
The most important potential outcome of RWC revolves around the group of "death". Have not seen it canvassed yet but let us think about the Pumas topping the group, France coming with a late charge and finishing second. Should that occur then France would play the All Blacks in neutral Wales. I'm salivating at the thought. Is it possible the red hot favourites could be eliminated in the Quarters? Stranger things have happened before especially where these two teams have faced each other in the RWC on neutral grounds. France has been the victor on both occassions. Is it possible they could do it again??
Jeffrey Phillips
Guest
Hello Everyone, I am sorry that I may have led to some unpleasantness in the Roar Room by my use of the word"lachrymose".I perhaps obsessively spend too much time looking for "le mot juste"I should have followed Hemingway's dictum to use the simple word not the complex[I think I may have done it again].To make matters worse now even the Irish think we are stupid! Cheers, Jeffrey Phillips
Dublin Dave
Guest
Yeah, sure Rodney. I know all about getting pissed out of my brain. But on a glass of Shiraz!!!!!! C'mon. It's only you Australian poofters can't hold your wimpy wine. Oh Sorry Have I insulted your entire nation? Apologies. I've just seen a rerun of the Ireland Georgia match and it's making me very fucking lachrymose.
rodney
Guest
Hey Sheek, I am sorry I called you an"anti intellectual moron" it was inappropriate.In my poor defence all I can say is that I had been drinking[a Hunter Valley Shiraz].I really shouldn't participate in chat room discussions in my cups.Dublin Dave would as an Irishman understand the evils of too much liquor, Sorry Sheek and enjoy your RWC, Ciao, Rodney
Dublin Dave
Guest
Lachrymose comes from the latin word lacrimare meaning "to cry", or "to weep". What do they teach you at school down there?
matty
Guest
I hope they both regain their lustre for a whizz bang game because I am journeying over to watch it... 14 man Namibia notwithstanding, I think that game was a great shot in the arm for the French. You can only play what's in front of you and I think the French will take some confidence from having the chance to run free in front of a supportive home crowd. As for the Irish... I am not sure how woefull they are or whether, as I had hoped, the "minnows" are profitting from their experience in professional rugby and should now be referred to as "potential giant slayers".
rodney
Guest
Hey Sheek, Get a dictionary digger and don't reveal yourself as an anti intellectual moron you make me lachrymose, Ciao, Rodney
spiro zavos
Guest
The mystery of thid RWC is why Ireland have played in such a lacklustre manner. Before the tournament many of us thought that Ireland was an outside chance to win the trophy. If they couldn't go close with this team, the thinking went, then they'd never go close. Ireland, like England in 2003, is a team that has been together for ast least four years. With 800 caps in the side that played last week, it became the most experienced team ever to play in a RWC match. As France have been under-performing in this tournament, too - Namibia played most of the second hald with 14 players, imagine what the Wallabies, the All Blaks or even the South Africans would have done to a 14-man Namibia side?
So which side, as Garth points out in his review, will regain its lustre?
sheek
Guest
Lachrymose?.....!
Jeffrey Phillips
Guest
There was a Barry Humphries show a couple of years ago called"Tears before Bedtime",it could have been named after this match as there will be some very lachrymose losers at the end
Simon
Guest
You're bang on the money, Garth, this is the most important match. Bring it on!