RWC 2011: THE FINAL!!! France vs. New Zealand

[tbhp]

Let's face it, when it comes to RWC, we're a second-tier nation--arguably the best of all second-tier nations, but it's a giant step to rise to the level of the Australia / New Zealand / South Africa / England quartet; and a giant step, especially given what we have shown so far this time around, we are most likely not ready to take.

You can't say that. If we win sunday, we'll have a better world cup record than NZ and England. Our 6N results have been better than those of England since we started being good at rugby (around the fifties). We are a rugby's superpower, the only thing that distinguishes us from the others is that we never won a world cup. Sunday, we'll have the opportunity to repair that.

 

[france]

If we win sunday, we'll have a better world cup record than NZ and England.

Then, no doubt about it: we'll be part of that elite group. Mighty big "if" though.

Our 6N results have been better than those of England since we started being good at rugby (around the fifties).

Fine, but I stand by my words: "when it comes to RWC, we're a second-tier nation"

We are a rugby's superpower, the only thing that distinguishes us from the others is that we never won a world cup.

And the World Cup is what matters. It is the only global rugby competition, the one you have to win if you want to be considered a true superpower. Seriously, does the 6N really excite you anymore? Yes, me neither. Now I'm not saying it wouldn't be fun to win a few more over say, the next 12 years, with a couple of grand slams as part of the package. But if we don't win a RWC over the same period of time (that gives us four more chances...), we will have failed to make our mark on *world* rugby.

Sunday, we'll have the opportunity to repair that.

And I sincerely hope we do. I just don't see it for reasons explained in my previous post.

 

[FlukeArtist]

Were you thanked in the 2004 Oscars ceremony?

yeah bro... I think after about the 10th Oscar awarded to Jackson's crew, Billy Crystal (Oscar host) said "OK - there is now officially no one left to thank in NZ "

 

[Kiwiwomble]

this is all a bit depressing...."we're hated most"..."no, we're hated most"...."no, they're hated most"....everyone ones knows its the aussies that are hated most

shall we talk rugby? do the french have any injuries?

ps. is there anyone on here who has come over to NZ for the RWC?

 

[barthelemy]

this is all a bit depressing...."we're hated most"..."no, we're hated most"...."no, they're hated most"....everyone ones knows its the aussies that are hated most

shall we talk rugby? do the french have any injuries?

ps. is there anyone on here who has come over to NZ for the RWC?

totally depressing

France has no inujured player (for now). Parra was not 100% in shape but finally it seems that he will be ok for Sunday. I would have prefered to see Trinh-Duc, I think we need more physicality for this match and Trinh-Duc is more powerfull than Parra (He has done a very good match in 2009 in Dunedin for the people who remember).

 

[SavageLez]

France have no pressure and Lievremont may become the 2nd coach after Jake White to lose his job after winning the RWC.

If France can take the early lead it will be an interesting game otherwise I see NZ running away with it!

 

[Sker]

I'm a South-African and Afrikaner and I'll be the first to say we are a fsking touchy bunch when we want to be. We don't like losing anything, or not being the best at anything. I love it, so easy to **** people off. Then again I'm a natural born *******

We are a really stubborn bunch though, especially when it comes to war. We like being outnumbered, more people to shoot at and easier to find a target (Just kidding) Delville Wood, Bloedrivier, Anglo-Boer War.

Wait this is fascinating but really off-topic, don't know if it's been mentioned before in this thread but it looks like history is being repeated. Same final and same bronze-final. Wonder if we'll see the same results. Speakling of the latter, I think I speak for pretty much all the South Africans when I say... Go Wales! haha

 

[igy]

France: anything can happen.

 

[barthelemy]

France have no pressure and Lievremont may become the 2nd coach after Jake White to lose his job after winning the RWC.

If France can take the early lead it will be an interesting game otherwise I see NZ running away with it!

Lievremont has already lost his job as he said long time ago that he would stop after the world cup. his replacement has already been announced, It is Phillipe Saint Andre , Current Coach of Toulon and and first french with the hand on the ball on the video below, during the last defeat of ABs at the eden park in ...1994 :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTwTi-UeQ7s

just a little pray !

 

[james5000]

I honestly can't see France coming close this weekend. I think we will win by at least 20 points.
There has been a bit of talk about the French team using media writing them off as motivation to drive them to victory.

NZ has 1000x more motivation going in to this game, we don't just want to just beat France we want to thrash them.
They knocked us out of two world cups, we have been waiting 24 years for another world cup victory, how much more motivation do you need?

We're on our home turf, we are viciously hungry to win this game. These French players will never ever get hit as hard as they will this weekend!!!!
We are going into this game expecting to win, but the players wont think they just have to make an appearance to pick up the trophy.
The players will play at 1000%, no fear, just hunger. We don't necessarily fear the French so we wont be as nervous, that just makes us more dangerous IMO.

I honestly think we will lift a couple of notches from Sunday, that was just a Semi. This is the game where legends are made.
As Brad Thorn said, "WE HAVEN'T WON ANYTHING YET"!!!

This game is the most important game in NZ Rugby history IMO, we lose this and I'm going to start watching tiddly winks lol.

 

[formerlyfastwing]

I like French Rugby, but this team has looked like jerkyll and hyde this RWC.

Which team will show up, to be honest, not sure it matters. I reckon the AB's have too much, too much of evrything, power, pace, passion.......but at the end of the day, that is why the play the game...anything cam happen

 

[kovana]

NZ by 50 points.

 

[Natas]

20 points to the ABs with ease. I would think the homeground advantage and just the maniacal determination that will be in the ABs would take a very talented team to have a brilliant game to match them on Sunday. I just dont see it in France, but in saying that, I hope for an awesome game from both sides to top off an awesome RWC.

 

[UilamOsa]

After watching some of the French RWC matches again, I still can't see them winning. I just can't see it happening.

They have to bring more than what they brought against the English, they have perform as a team and be courageous and brave and attack and they have to be above that level of performance for 80 minutes.

If France win I hope they win on the back of a performance that leaves no questions over their credentials (like 1999 and not 2007), I hope the match is like "the game played in heaven" against the Wallabies in Sydney.
As heart wrenching as that would be if France won, I would still stand and applaud both France & NZ.

Because that would be truly worthy of a RWC final.

I hope it's not a spanking, I'd rather not wade through the masses of Queen St and the drunks so early in the night.

 

[markshaw]

Nz by 40 points then the biggest party in the Histroy of NZ right in the middle of Auckland City !

 

[Tricia McMillan]

Oooh, are we arguing about who's the most hated? Good opportunity to post this:

 

[Darwin]

France have named an unchanged starting XV (reserves to be confirmed later):
15-Maxime Medard, 14-Vincent Clerc, 13-Aurelien Rougerie, 12-Maxime Mermoz, 11-Alexis Palisson, 10-Morgan Parra, 9-Dimitri Yachvili, 8-Imanol Harinordoquy, 7-Julien Bonnaire, 6-Thierry Dusautoir (captain), 5-Lionel Nallet, 4-Pascal Pape, 3-Nicolas Mas, 2-William Servat, 1-Jean-Baptiste Poux

 

[Blacktrick]

I honestly can't see France coming close this weekend. I think we will win by at least 20 points.
There has been a bit of talk about the French team using media writing them off as motivation to drive them to victory.

NZ has 1000x more motivation going in to this game, we don't just want to just beat France we want to thrash them.
They knocked us out of two world cups, we have been waiting 24 years for another world cup victory, how much more motivation do you need?

We're on our home turf, we are viciously hungry to win this game. These French players will never ever get hit as hard as they will this weekend!!!!
We are going into this game expecting to win, but the players wont think they just have to make an appearance to pick up the trophy.
The players will play at 1000%, no fear, just hunger. We don't necessarily fear the French so we wont be as nervous, that just makes us more dangerous IMO.

I honestly think we will lift a couple of notches from Sunday, that was just a Semi. This is the game where legends are made.
As Brad Thorn said, "WE HAVEN'T WON ANYTHING YET"!!!

This game is the most important game in NZ Rugby history IMO, we lose this and I'm going to start watching tiddly winks lol.

I think there must be a link between our Rugby brain cells, these are EXACTLY my thoughts. I'm tipping the biggest winning margin EVER in a World Cup final which will not be overtaken in a hurry. As the Pumas said it will be a "Black Wave" that will eventually overpower and subdue an initial very resilient French side.

 

[Jer1cho]

Will anyone else find it excruciatingly funny if France win?

 

[Kiwiwomble]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/5814636/Adam-Thomson-fighting-hard-for-selection

I'm a Thompson fan but Vito has done enough and has earnt his shot in the final