France New Zealand match / build up

I thought the AB looked a little tired against Japan so it wouldn't surprise me if France won this one if they hit the ground running that is.

from the AB website:
Les Bleus can dominate in the scrum, execute master classes in loose play, run magical lines to weave spells that no team can overcome, and put together periods where no side can match.

They haven't done that for a while!


The All Blacks have won 16 out of 23 games in France.

French team vs All Blacks

Dulin
Fofana
Huget
Fritz
Médard
Tales
Parra

Mas
Kayser
Forest
Maestri,
Pape
Chouly
Lauret
Dusautoir (cap)

Substitutes: Szarzewski, Debaty, Slimani Vahaamahina, Claassen, Doussain, Lopez, Fickou

Having come last in the 6N it might just be time for a moment of magic from France. Who knows, maybe they'll turn it on.

If they do turn it on, it'll be the match of the weekend.

3-0 in June and Picamoles and Fofana among others not likely to play and the rest fatigued from club rugby this is a tall order.

The advantage is that coming from Japan is difficult for some of the players, Julian Savea is crook so hopefully he is isolated and the others aren't affected. The media distractions are looking towards Twickenham. A one off game is not as bad as a series and France showed against Australia last year they can bounce back well from disappointment.

Unfortunately Piutau might well start on the wing and he looks in ominous form. Romano is back as is Jane. McCaw came through well in Japan as did Carter and we have a near full strength squad to call on. The Raeburn Shield and Dave Gallagher Trophy are up for grabs and NZ is looking to build up the intensity after a poor showing in NZ.

Spells trouble for France I feel.

Scrumpy NZ didn't look tired. They looked half-hearted. The front five effort was poor. There were just two players from 2011 RWC in that team. It was a scratch side that played scratchy... And still posted 50 points without conceding a try.

There will be a noticeable rise in intensity this week as you don't go to Paris thinking you can coast to victory.

France are in for a shellacking here. NZ by 20 points or so.

rodders wrote:France are in for a shellacking here. NZ by 20 points or so.

Agree. France being France one never knows - but I'd be amazed if NZ don't stuff them.

I'm not sure I buy into this 'which France will turn up' cliche anymore but thanks to a certain poster on here I'll definitely be digging out my old France jersey. Looking at the two teams player for player I can only see complacency (or the cloak and dagger referees who are in cahoots with the NH governing bodies and old men in suites!), bringing NZ down. I hope I'm wrong 'though!!

How much time does Saint-André have?

We all know how these games go, it is either a ahellacking or an upset, and sometimes something inbetween.

I never predict French NZ matches

France 19 - NZ 34

French team vs All Blacks

Dulin
Fofana
Huget
Fritz
Médard
Tales
Parra

Mas
Kayser
Forest
Maestri,
Pape
Chouly
Lauret
Dusautoir (cap)

Substitutes: Szarzewski, Debaty, Slimani Vahaamahina, Claassen, Doussain, Lopez, Fickou

Biltong wrote:We all know how these games go, it is either a ahellacking or an upset, and sometimes something inbetween.

Isn't that how all games go?

There are two main upsets- 99 and 07 the only we would care to revisit but overall in the last 10 years its 14 wins from 16 at an average score of 32-12, 4 tries to one.

So generally, we normally throttle them, but those two losses (the in between one Biltong refers to is likely the WCup final where it was neither a thrashing nor an upset, but a rare, close match) always cause kiwis to expected the unexpected with the French. Box of chocolates they sure are...

So in the last 10 years its two wins to France plus a very close one. Who has a better or significantly better record than that?

nganboy wrote:So in the last 10 years its two wins to France plus a very close one. Who has a better or significantly better record than that?

In the last 10 years? Oz are closest

Ozzie- 6 wins from 9
SA- 2 wins and a draw from 6
England 10 wins from 18
Wales 4 wins from 13

havnt checked the others...

Personally I'd pick Fofana at 12 and Fritz at 13, that's a bit of a dream-team midfield. France have a really strong pack but they just don't strike fear into me these days. NZ by 20.

fofanas injured isnt he? thats part of why I'm confident- he scored a ripper against us this year...

He's on the wing according to Scrumpy. Best player for France for two years but he never sees any action when he's played on the wing for Les Bleus. It's a blunder.

Fofana will start at 12 but might move to the wing if one if the back 3 gets off. his form so far this season hasnt been great at least for his club. PSA doesnt really select on form anyway
This particular selection is clearly intended to tackle as many ABs as possible, slow down the ball and kick for territory (?!). The backrow is quite unbalanced as a result with no real ball carrier and line out options. Same for the 2nd row with basically two enforcers/ruck inspectors. At least he didnt select bastareaud. The props are average so dont even think we will get a few penalties from the scrum.

The problem is out half.  If France was starting a recognised international class out half, I could see France making a match out of it.  Parra will run the attack.  And Fofana, Fritz, and Médard are good.  The rest of the backs don't get anyone excited.  Maybe Parra will feed Mas the ball at every opportunity.

Parra was considered good enough to be starting 10 in 2011 RWC so can`t be that shabby.
France have a habit of beating the AllBlacks when not expected as many touring sides have found to there cost 1953,1973,1986 etc,
Don`t take things at face value IF there are injuries the AB bench is by there standards
weak.Especially at wing,Crotty at 12 move Nonu to 13,Ben Smith to 14 and Lock no specialist
SH does`nt impress either.

Alan. Once again you sit on the fence.If you cannot see the gulf in depth between the two sides then i do wonder. This will be an easy win to the ABs. You can do the if if but but thing.
But if the ABs win easy are you equally going to admit...gee...didnt see that...do you ever pick a convincing win? i mean...weve had a few,,,

Yeah, I don't really understand why there should be any fear of France for NZ.

They've had a couple of really high-profile wins in world cups but other than that not much at all.

They've got worse since the world cup and, even if they're really up for it, they don't have the ability to raise their game that much.

It's a shame because I've always enjoyed watching France and the Aussies (my 2nd/3rd teams after England) and they're both in the doldrums at the moment.

The French pack is good.  Shame Picamoles is not playing.  That would have the possibility of evening things up a bit.  But still quality generally from 1-9.  After that hit and miss.  The ABs will mark Fofana, and the outside attack shuts down.  

Not sure I can predict a bgt AB win, but 10 points seems about right.

I`m not sitting on any fences they said the same before England 2012,I don`t buy the battered ,lowly France bit.Saint Andre is crazy like a FOX on the recent form IT should
be a blowout.I will be happy if the AB`s win by 20 or 30 BUT 4 players coming back of injury
and a hole at 13.
Have the greatest respect for Ben Smith long term he may well be a 13 but the point is that
currently.He is not yet up to speed those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it I am
not arrogant enough or stupid enough to do that.
Get on the wrong side of the Ref and he will ping you out of the game these are 3 very
hard games for the AB`s the motivation is there ok BUT.
In 2006 they were in the same situation only had to win the Last game,it was easy,no problem ?THEY LOST.
I EXPECT a win BUT they are due a loss law of averages says so Hansen has got it right expect
the worst and hope for the best.

Personally I hope for a performance like in the second test in June: nothing flashy but a complete shut out (0 may be pushing it but no tries). Let the tries rain down next week.  

The best France can hope for is to hang in there for as long as they can and then the crowd might help them through the rest of it.

And really, despite ABs being what they are - nobody can doubt their dominance of the sport - but if France are sill in sight towards the end and the crowd can sense hope, then ABs might quickly forget where they are and start having flashbacks to the WC.

France isn't going to remain Europe's whipping boys forever.... their graph has to begin rising again.... fate has written so

So Ireland can't expect a win against them next year then Secret if I'm reading between the lines.  

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:So Ireland can't expect a win against them next year then Secret if I'm reading between the lines.  

Our graph too must riseth, for so it is spoken in the annals, kia....

Annals or bum mate?  

How can @nus be censored and bum not?! If I wrote France have had an annus horribilis is that a bummer year? This censoring is bum liquid.

Too true...the censoring of words is a load of bollix!

Oh... I got away with bollix... all is okay with the cussing world again. carry on. The topic was................ France/New Zealand I seem to recall....

emack2 wrote:I`m not sitting on any fences they said the same before England 2012,I don`t buy the battered ,lowly France bit.Saint Andre is crazy like a FOX on the recent form IT should
be a blowout.I will be happy if the AB`s win by 20 or 30 BUT 4 players coming back of injury
and a hole at 13.
Have the greatest respect for Ben Smith long term he may well be a 13 but the point is that
currently.He is not yet up to speed those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it I am
not arrogant enough or stupid enough to do that.
Get on the wrong side of the Ref and he will ping you out of the game these are 3 very
hard games for the AB`s the motivation is there ok BUT.
In 2006 they were in the same situation only had to win the Last game,it was easy,no problem ?THEY LOST.
I EXPECT a win BUT they are due a loss law of averages says so Hansen has got it right expect
the worst and hope for the best.

Can't argue with that Alan, nothing more positive than a glass half empty view...how can you lose?
I'm thinking now it may be rather scrappy. The full side havnt played for a few weeks and might need a blowout.

If Barrett were on the bench there would be five fullbacks or at least five players who have played fullback in the backline. As it stands four is quite a lot too.

Anyone know how or where this can be watched when you're living in South east England? I have access to the net and Sky Sports, but have recently lost the BT sport channel.

It's on Sky Sports 2 Saint.

Thanks for this good news stub. Now I can procrastinate this evening.

The Saint wrote:Thanks for this good news stub. Now I can procrastinate this evening.

 

Hello?

kapa o pango- probably be used for all 3 matches now- england is obvious and Ireland hopefully for the 100%.
I think Hansen has targeted this years AI's more than we normally do.

Kapa o Pango

Good start

Just starting to calm down after the Wales SA game.. anyone got a link to the game? I'd like to share it with the Welsh camp.. so they get a rough idea of how things are done  ...    

These pitches are unacceptable. Things have to be done.

RDSguru wrote:Just starting to calm down after the Wales SA game.. anyone got a link to the game? I'd like to share it with the Welsh camp.. so they get a rough idea of how things are done  ...    

wouldnt use any of the tape just yet...

Big thumbs up to the crowd. It's helping that France are playing well but I'd suggest a lot has to do with the crowd. Right from the start they've been up for this game and the French are showing their best when they're behind their team.

Great game and even better atmosphere. How much of this defence or attack will take the sting out of the teams in the second half? NZ pride themselves on their endurance but the French must be lifted by this amazing crowd.

Geez, France are up for this!

French kicking has been far too long. They've looked much better when keeping the ball in hand. ABs have missed a few first up tackles but the defensive line is holding.

I really thought Les Bleus would be 20 points down by now...