France vs New Zealand

[I Bleed Black]

And to top it all off we are going to lose the No1 IRB ranking before the end of the World Cup. France gained 7-8 points on us alone last game, while we dropped 4 against all other nations.

Oh well such is life - Might do the ABs some good to have something to aim for and to try and salvage some pride.

 

[jawmalawm24]

Its funny cause whoever ends up being the RWC champs you know the All Blacks are just gonna thrash them for the next 4 years anyway lol.

I'd rather have the All Blacks play good for 4 years than play crap for 4 years and than win the RWC.

 

[Gay-Guy]

Its funny cause whoever ends up being the RWC champs you know the All Blacks are just gonna thrash them for the next 4 years anyway lol.

I'd rather have the All Blacks play good for 4 years than play crap for 4 years and than win the RWC.

[/b]

Haha..well I'd rather have both....though personally I'd rather have Argentina win the RWC (then my next choice would be France) as I sense the Argies are very close to achieving their first ever victory over the AB's and it will be easier to bear if they were the RWC champs

 

[diehardkiwi07]

I'd rather have the All Blacks play good for 4 years than play crap for 4 years and than win the RWC.
[/b]

Id give anything for us to peak at the right time even if it includes losing the entire 3 years just to win that 1 and only cup thats missing in our cabinet. Farr to often All Blacks have ripped apart the rugby world mainly going through year after year unbeaten or at worse 1 loss to there name. But when it comes to a game that did matter we fall short at the final hurdle more then enough times over.

Who wants to trade a Tri Nations and bledisloefor a world cup? I would anyday maybe even my car to

 

[fcukernaut]

<div class='quotemain'>
I'd rather have the All Blacks play good for 4 years than play crap for 4 years and than win the RWC.
[/b]

Id give anything for us to peak at the right time even if it includes losing the entire 3 years just to win that 1 and only cup thats missing in our cabinet. Farr to often All Blacks have ripped apart the rugby world mainly going through year after year unbeaten or at worse 1 loss to there name. But when it comes to a game that did matter we fall short at the final hurdle more then enough times over.

Who wants to trade a Tri Nations and bledisloefor a world cup? I would anyday maybe even my car to [/b][/quote]



I'd rather the English talk **** about us for 6 months after the world cup, than hear Australians talk **** about us for 4 years.



With that said, that stupid little gold cup would look absolutly fantastic being paraded through every town and city in New Zealand.

 

[jawmalawm24]

Maybe we should do like the NH and start sending out 2nd string teams to play everyone so they don't have the satisfaction of facing a full strength All Blacks. I would also like the All Blacks to get rid of those ugly grey jersey's they look stupid and they should stay in black it familiar and alot better.

 

[woosaah]

the grey jerseys imo are pretty cool, its all marketing and you cant just wear black because we are "the all blacks" it wouldnt be fair to the other teams like scotland france just to make them change their jerseys all the time. a coin toss isnt that bad. Darren Shands fault for losing every toss at this world cup

and we sent a "b" team over there last year didnt we? tried to replicate the world cup and we won every game (i think). the only problem was that we played harder games over there that time and this time we had cheap fixtures.

ahh well

 

[RC]

Maybe we should do like the NH and start sending out 2nd string teams to play everyone so they don't have the satisfaction of facing a full strength All Blacks. [/b]

Last autumn a totally different team played against Wales than it did against England, is that not true?
You know, to be truthful (thanks to your "rotation policy") we have no idea if we've ever faced a full strength all blacks team anyway. I don't think half of you guys even know if you've fielded a full strength All Blacks team.
Sure, in your eyes your strongest team may have played before now, but i can't honestly decide whether Graham Henry knew if he'd gotten is 1st XV down.

 

[Klarkash-ton]

<div class='quotemain'> Maybe we should do like the NH and start sending out 2nd string teams to play everyone so they don't have the satisfaction of facing a full strength All Blacks. [/b]

Last autumn a totally different team played against Wales than it did against England, is that not true?
You know, to be truthful (thanks to your "rotation policy") we have no idea if we've ever faced a full strength all blacks team anyway. I don't think half of you guys even know if you've fielded a full strength All Blacks team.
Sure, in your eyes your strongest team may have played before now, but i can't honestly decide whether Graham Henry knew if he'd gotten is 1st XV down.
[/b][/quote]

certainly not in the centres.

 

[Klarkash-ton]

the grey jerseys imo are pretty cool, its all marketing and you cant just wear black because we are "the all blacks" it wouldnt be fair to the other teams like scotland france just to make them change their jerseys all the time. a coin toss isnt that bad. Darren Shands fault for losing every toss at this world cup

and we sent a "b" team over there last year didnt we? tried to replicate the world cup and we won every game (i think). the only problem was that we played harder games over there that time and this time we had cheap fixtures.

ahh well
[/b]

well France never had to change shirts to play the All Blacks before. I read somewhere (English newspaper I think) that they darkened their shirt so NZ would have to wear their away strip in the Final (which would have been officially a home match I guess - they didn't plan being second in their group). I think the coin toss was introduced to give NZ a change to wear black in the final.

this could all be drunken recollections of course.

 

[TheBokke]

Its funny cause whoever ends up being the RWC champs you know the All Blacks are just gonna thrash them for the next 4 years anyway lol.

I'd rather have the All Blacks play good for 4 years than play crap for 4 years and than win the RWC.

[/b]

Does this statement have anything to do with your boys being knocked out of the WC?



I would take the WC anytime as you might be ranked number one in the world for the next 4 years but the team who wins the WC are the WORLD CHAMPS and their is nothing better.



Example: Sitting in a pub and you are arguing with an Englishmen about how poorly his team has been playing in the last 4 years and turns around and he asks you who are the current WC? ARGUEMENT CLOSED.



There is nothing bigger than the WC. Maybe if you were still in the cup you would feel the same.

 

[Klarkash-ton]

I would take the WC anytime as you might be ranked number one in the world for the next 4 years but the team who wins the WC are the WORLD CHAMPS and their is nothing better.



Example: Sitting in a pub and you are arguing with an Englishmen about how poorly his team has been playing in the last 4 years and turns around and he asks you who are the current WC? ARGUEMENT CLOSED.



There is nothing bigger than the WC. Maybe if you were still in the cup you would feel the same.
[/b]

that depends on who you're talking to. If you're talking about a English rugby fan then their pain will be evident during the conversation, and they are unlikely to over-use the argument . If you're talking to the average Englishman, then they probably don't know the most recent result unless it was a huge English win, but they'll know they are WORLD CHAMPS. Not much point talking rugby to them anyway, as what will you talk about?

I remember watching 'Who wants to be a Millionaire?' and the question was 'who won the 1999 Rugby world cup?' the choices were the Aus, NZ, Eng, SA. The guy didn't know, so he phoned a friend who was a 'sports expert'. This guy emphatically stated 'oh, it was New Zealand, without a doubt.' 'you sure?''yep, 100 percent!'

Chris Tarrant looked very sympathetic as he sent the contestant on his way.

Of course if you talk to a Saffo they will tell you the world cup doesn't matter and they are the best team no matter what the most recent result is, so actually having the WC again won't really make that much difference. But that is the right attitude for a fan anyway

 

[Steve-o]

I've been avoiding this thread but i simply can't, it's just so damn funny (im mean the comments ). 4 years with the same coach, players taken out for half of the S14 to be conditioned for the WC, Prime Minister of NZ comes like the day before to gain support for the All Blacks, the list goes on and on. I would be ticked off as well but you people are going overboard.



I watched the whole game twice and the 2nd half 3 times, it was fun everytime, and overall IMO the ref was fair. He made some wack calls but it went both ways (finally a ref that goes both ways! no pun intended ). There are whole bunch of other points that I don't remember now, but I gotta say I don't see this as the HUGE upset everyone is making it.



Well done France

 

[nam97]

I've been avoiding this thread but i simply can't, it's just so damn funny (im mean the comments ). 4 years with the same coach, players taken out for half of the S14 to be conditioned for the WC, Prime Minister of NZ comes like the day before to gain support for the All Blacks, the list goes on and on. I would be ticked off as well but you people are going overboard.



I watched the whole game twice and the 2nd half 3 times, it was fun everytime, and overall IMO the ref was fair. He made some wack calls but it went both ways (finally a ref that goes both ways! no pun intended ). There are whole bunch of other points that I don't remember now, but I gotta say I don't see this as the HUGE upset everyone is making it.



Well done France
[/b]

Well that makes one of you so far. Would love to see you Saffo's take a loss as degrading as this, we would be saying the exact same as you and you'd be just as desperate as us in terms of looking for excuses.

 

[TheBokke]

<div class='quotemain'>
I've been avoiding this thread but i simply can't, it's just so damn funny (im mean the comments ). 4 years with the same coach, players taken out for half of the S14 to be conditioned for the WC, Prime Minister of NZ comes like the day before to gain support for the All Blacks, the list goes on and on. I would be ticked off as well but you people are going overboard.



I watched the whole game twice and the 2nd half 3 times, it was fun everytime, and overall IMO the ref was fair. He made some wack calls but it went both ways (finally a ref that goes both ways! no pun intended ). There are whole bunch of other points that I don't remember now, but I gotta say I don't see this as the HUGE upset everyone is making it.



Well done France
[/b]

Well that makes one of you so far. Would love to see you Saffo's take a loss as degrading as this, we would be saying the exact same as you and you'd be just as desperate as us in terms of looking for excuses. [/b][/quote]



Definately not. If we get beaten by Argentina on Sunday I will congratulate them on a game well played. There is many times in the past that I felt like SA got a raw deal but sucked it up.



There are no excuses to make about the Kiwis loss you were beaten by the better team on the day simple!!!



You also stated that most Saffa's think that we are the better team but that is not the case, as SA fans have more pain than Kiwi's when it comes to losing, we have lost alot more games over the years than the Kiwis Therefore we have to accept defeat which helps us to realise that winning is not a right but something you earn.



Will you ever accept this loss? If not your pain will last alot longer. Come on congratulate the French you will feel bettter

 

[jawmalawm24]

Can you genuinely say that we were beaten by a better team.

Are you saying that the forward pass leading to the winning try wasn't forward?

I have the game on DVD and have since watched it many times but cannot believe why these things aren't picked up.

The yellow card for Luke i agree with because he did get in the way no doubt about it.

I have already congratulated the French but after watching the game many times over its really hard to.

So what happens to refs when they make bad calls can anybody tell me is there any form of punishment or just a slap on the hand.

 

[TheBokke]

Can you genuinely say that we were beaten by a better team.
[/b]

Yup for sure!! But you have to remember the WC is not a league so on the day France were the better team. If it was a world league which there never will be then NZ would be the champs 100%.

 

[Wellycane]

<div class='quotemain'> Its funny cause whoever ends up being the RWC champs you know the All Blacks are just gonna thrash them for the next 4 years anyway lol.

I'd rather have the All Blacks play good for 4 years than play crap for 4 years and than win the RWC.

[/b]

Haha..well I'd rather have both....though personally I'd rather have Argentina win the RWC (then my next choice would be France) as I sense the Argies are very close to achieving their first ever victory over the AB's and it will be easier to bear if they were the RWC champs

[/b][/quote]

Yeah me too. Hopefully Argentina or France will take this out. It'll be a huge boost to their rugby and to the whole country.

 

[Prestwick]

<div class='quotemain'> Maybe we should do like the NH and start sending out 2nd string teams to play everyone so they don't have the satisfaction of facing a full strength All Blacks. [/b]

Last autumn a totally different team played against Wales than it did against England, is that not true?
You know, to be truthful (thanks to your "rotation policy") we have no idea if we've ever faced a full strength all blacks team anyway. I don't think half of you guys even know if you've fielded a full strength All Blacks team.
Sure, in your eyes your strongest team may have played before now, but i can't honestly decide whether Graham Henry knew if he'd gotten is 1st XV down.
[/b][/quote]

Considering that Henry left out most of his first choice centers, opting instead to play a utility back instead, could you seriously say, with a hand on your heart that the strongest All Black side played against France?

If a team is being constantly rotated with no All Black team the same as the last, all the way up to when they are knocked out of the World Cup, does that show the stregnth in depth or rather a certain lack of trust exhibited by the coach in his players and as a result a lack of confidence about whether or not he actually knows what his first choice XV is?

Did Graham Henry even have such a concept as a "first choice XV"?

As for England vs France. At the end of the England game I did say to my French friend and boasted with a chuckle "Well! Thats our quota of wins filled for this year, give those Argies hell!" As long as the best team wins (quite easy to work out considering England's variable form this season) I'm a happy chappy.

 

[diehardkiwi07]

Will you ever accept this loss? If not your pain will last alot longer. Come on congratulate the French you will feel bettter
[/b]

This person must be blind or something back track back over the pages of this topic and you will find most to all kiwi poster's have congatulated the French for there win on the game. Either that or you just chose not to see it