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

[kovana]

So.. IRB fine French for 'disrespecting' the haka. But they dont fine them for the blatant eye gouge?

 

[Blacktrick]

So.. IRB fine French for 'disrespecting' the haka. But they dont fine them for the blatant eye gouge?

Cant agree more, an Absolutely ridiculous ruling by the IRB....

 

[Shug]

What that has to do with the antics of their national rugby team I have no idea. The French team has a history of being dirty players, Gougerie is in good company there.

Utter Pish! I'm not French but I take exception to this arsehole comment, do you think New Zealand sides have not produced their fair share of dirty bast ards!:
Canterbury v Lions 1971
The Lions were cutting a swathe through New Zealand ahead of the Test series, and something had to be 'done' to slow their progress before the first Test. Cue one of the bloodiest, most premeditated assaults in rugby history from Canterbury which resulted in Scottish prop Sandy Carmichael, Irish prop Ray McLoughlin and Irish No 8 Mick Hipwell being invalided off the tour, as well as leaving Irish flanker Fergus Slattery with concussion and without two teeth.(The 99 call was born).


Then there's John Ashworth the New Zealand prop who delivered a horrible, vicious stamp on JPR Williams (he said he thought Williams head was the ball) in their match against Bridgend in 1978, leaving a huge hole in JPR's cheek. It was the first time I'd seen foul play of this level in any sport.


But the worst was when Umaga and Mealamu, just 40 seconds into the first test in Christchurch in 2005,cynically slam-dunked O'Driscoll into the ground. The cover-up that followed was just as bad as the act on the field. How Umaga and Mealamu were ever allowed to walk onto a rugby pitch again after that is beyond me but that's the IRB for you.

So don't give us yer pish about the French having a history of being dirty players as if they invented foul play.

 

[donmcdazzle]

Utter Pish! I'm not French but I take exception to this arsehole comment, do you think New Zealand sides have not produced their fair share of dirty bast ards!:
Canterbury v Lions 1971
The Lions were cutting a swathe through New Zealand ahead of the Test series, and something had to be 'done' to slow their progress before the first Test. Cue one of the bloodiest, most premeditated assaults in rugby history from Canterbury which resulted in Scottish prop Sandy Carmichael, Irish prop Ray McLoughlin and Irish No 8 Mick Hipwell being invalided off the tour, as well as leaving Irish flanker Fergus Slattery with concussion and without two teeth.(The 99 call was born).


Then there's John Ashworth the New Zealand prop who delivered a horrible, vicious stamp on JPR Williams (he said he thought Williams head was the ball) in their match against Bridgend in 1978, leaving a huge hole in JPR's cheek. It was the first time I'd seen foul play of this level in any sport.


But the worst was when Umaga and Mealamu, just 40 seconds into the first test in Christchurch in 2005,cynically slam-dunked O'Driscoll into the ground. The cover-up that followed was just as bad as the act on the field. How Umaga and Mealamu were ever allowed to walk onto a rugby pitch again after that is beyond me but that's the IRB for you.

So don't give us yer pish about the French having a history of being dirty players as if they invented foul play.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ru...uging-just-a-way-of-life-in-French-rugby.html

 

[Blacktrick]

Congrutalation for the ALL BLACK, Congrutalion for the people of News Zealand. Congrutalation for the AB fans. I hope they enjoy the event full with hapinness and crazyness and I share their joy.
I'am a supporter of the french team and don't care about the dispute whith the referee and all faults that's people noticed. No dispute and no complains. The big All Black merit their cup
Rugby is a strange sport. The heroes of this final what at the end the french. They was insultated (80s Laughing!!), denigred, (the badest team of the all final cup) (The shame of the Rugby) doubted on themself (9/8 against wales 15 against 14), lost game (as against Tonga and New Zealand).
But they have fighted with all their courage and well in the hearth of the Maori Nation, in the hearth of the cauldron " the Eden Park" "stadium against a whole People.
For almost nothing they could win the game and the black would be alone with their tears.
I admire their mind. Victory is not always at the end of the combat so brillant it was, that is the sport.
I identify my self with this special spirit that belong to the rugby and not in another sport. And that's serve me in my common life. I I want to say that someone very near from myself struggle with a cancer .
The issue are uncertain. And I feel in phase with this tourmanted soul french team: up and down from sadness to disapointmenent, from hope to joy. And always this though: we have to fight for the good, for a betters days
Each chimiotherapie send her to the hell, loosing hair and white cell, vominting her guts night and days, loosing weight and weight and becoming weaker and weaker.
Our small family are not the AB or the french team, but what have shown our french team with their modesty is: how to stan up!! and this time I hope we will the game even if nobody will give us a Cup .

I wish you well friend in overcoming personal sickness within your family and am hopeful that there will be more supporters like you that give Rugby, in spite of all the bad calls, a really good name. Your gracious response in spite of your own teams loss is a credit to you and the game as well  Obviously your perspective on life has been adjusted through sufferings and in the end this is a GAME ! I have also been close to death many years ago with a benign brain tumor and 2 serious operations, the last of which was 20 years ago and by the grace of God I'm still here ! It certainly puts a lot of issues in life into proper perspective and I for one think a gracious spirit is too be far more desired than winning any argument !!
Well played by the French but I think the ABs and 4 million people have suffered too long with the AWFUL chokers tag and are RELIEVED to FINALLY have this ***le

 

[UilamOsa]

I think everyone should calm down...

I think most people would agree that France dominated NZ for the most of the RWC final.

Who deserved to win? Well, that's a question that's always debatable depending on the supporter.
Who won? NZ
Was the Refereeing up to standard? No. Most supporters won't argue that the AB's got away with a few things more than the French
Was there foul play involved? Yes - at this moment there is only video of Rougerie vs McCaw and no video of Weepu vs Parra
Which media was vindicated? Again that's debatable, but NZ retired players stated that foul play would take place and it did - French Media (le equippe? i think?) didn't think it would happen but it did.

Did anyone cheat? Rugby is about contesting everything at every possible moment inside and outside the letter of the law. It's up to the Referees to make those calls.
Are the french the only ones that do foul play? Of Course not, apart from those mentioned by Shug, there's Richard Loe who's now my favourite commentator - Troy Flavell had a mean streak in him...there's a number of players from every country.

Is there any Racism throughout any of this? No. I'm not too sure where this whole Race issue came about and to be frank - it's very disappointing for anyone to try and make that an issue.

 

[smartcooky]

Oh God there is a lot of CRAP being posted in this thread.

Yes, the French have a history of excessive dirty play, and doing such things as carrying knives on the pitch, but its just that.... HISTORY. Its long past.

Overall, the modern day French team actually has the best disciplinary record in the Six Nations, and one of the best in the world.

IMO, Rougerie's action of head-butting and eye-gouging McCaw is a "moment of madness"; its not something that I believe is in any away indicative of the way the French play the game these days. Its something that he did in the heat of the moment, that he will regret doing for a long time, because he has permanently destroyed his reputation as a fair player. He will now be remembered as the player who perpetrated and vicious eye-gouge on an opponent who was not in a position to defend himself, and got away unpunished.

I fully expect the French press to tear Rougerie apart for bringing the name of French rugby into disrepute.

 

[Ripper]

Not the first time the French have had to resort to eye gouging in a final.

Eale's threatened to take the Wallabies off the field in 99 if the ref didn't put a stop to it.

 

[Sam Owen]

Then you must be 3 years old. The Barnes bashing after the 2007 semi is a climax never to be reached again. About Joubert, don't worry, in a few days it will pass.
NZ deserve their win overall, but they did benefit from a lack of guts from Joubert a few times.
Then again, Weepu offered us 8 or so points so all in all it's just a close game of rugby that could have gone both ways.

Look at Jouberts bashing I think its overtaking Barneses one IMO. If your brain thinks Im 3 years old then I know Im right that Jouberts bashing is worse. Unless of course we see a halt to it all, its just ridiculous.

Ask anyone here on TRF, read my previous posts, I dont moan about a referees decision. I question at times but never blame them for my teams inability to get the points.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ru...uging-just-a-way-of-life-in-French-rugby.html

Well he's speaking a load of crap
Maybe HE eyegouged - As someone who watches a lot of French rugby, and has watched a fair amount of amateur French rugby too, I haven't seen more dirty play than I have in Super Rugby or the Aviva or the Pro 12

 

[smartcooky]

Look at Jouberts bashing I think its overtaking Barneses one IMO. If your brain thinks Im 3 years old then I know Im right that Jouberts bashing is worse. Unless of course we see a halt to it all, its just ridiculous.

Ask anyone here on TRF, read my previous posts, I dont moan about a referees decision. I question at times but never blame them for my teams inability to get the points.

I don't believe so. AFAIK Joubert has yet to receive death threats like Barnes did, or have his wikipedia page hacked and vandalised, and have custom "hate" sites appear.

 

[UilamOsa]

Well he's speaking a load of crap
Maybe HE eyegouged - As someone who watches a lot of French rugby, and has watched a fair amount of amateur French rugby too, I haven't seen more dirty play than I have in Super Rugby or the Aviva or the Pro 12

He actually said he did. He did it a couple of times. Gonzalez was his first. And Sebastien Bruno his second. So he says...

He also mentioned that eye gouging took place in NZ it was just less frequent than it was in France.

 

[donmcdazzle]

Well he's speaking a load of crap
Maybe HE eyegouged - As someone who watches a lot of French rugby, and has watched a fair amount of amateur French rugby too, I haven't seen more dirty play than I have in Super Rugby or the Aviva or the Pro 12

Ok since you've watched some I'll take your word for it over some guy who played there 10 years.

 

[igorBastia]

Utter Pish! I'm not French but I take exception to this arsehole comment, do you think New Zealand sides have not produced their fair share of dirty bast ards!:
Canterbury v Lions 1971
The Lions were cutting a swathe through New Zealand ahead of the Test series, and something had to be 'done' to slow their progress before the first Test. Cue one of the bloodiest, most premeditated assaults in rugby history from Canterbury which resulted in Scottish prop Sandy Carmichael, Irish prop Ray McLoughlin and Irish No 8 Mick Hipwell being invalided off the tour, as well as leaving Irish flanker Fergus Slattery with concussion and without two teeth.(The 99 call was born).


Then there's John Ashworth the New Zealand prop who delivered a horrible, vicious stamp on JPR Williams (he said he thought Williams head was the ball) in their match against Bridgend in 1978, leaving a huge hole in JPR's cheek. It was the first time I'd seen foul play of this level in any sport.


But the worst was when Umaga and Mealamu, just 40 seconds into the first test in Christchurch in 2005,cynically slam-dunked O'Driscoll into the ground. The cover-up that followed was just as bad as the act on the field. How Umaga and Mealamu were ever allowed to walk onto a rugby pitch again after that is beyond me but that's the IRB for you.

So don't give us yer pish about the French having a history of being dirty players as if they invented foul play.

Merci l'ami canadien . je lui ai déjà écrit ce que je pensais de ce genre de commentaire, ce n'est que du racisme gratuit antifroggie d'autant incompressible que les AB. Personne en France conteste la victoire, et tout le monde partage leur joie. Les français admire les AB , respecte ce petit et magnifique pays avec ses traditions maoris. Le seul pays avec lequel on se chamaille c'est l'Angleterre et encore c'est pour rire car même s'ils habitent un pays ou il pleut tout le temps on a été frères d'arme durant 2 guerres constitutives.
Alors pourquoi ce racisme vraiment je ne comprend pas. En tant que canadien bilingue j’espère l'ami que tu es bilingue. Canada for ever!!

 

[squirrel]

the biggest load of **** has come from DONMCDAZZLE when he said hes been to france and the people were friendly etc, any english speaker whos been to france would know thats all ****

 

[igorBastia]

I have indeed travelled around the world, have visited France 3 times. I spent a month driving through the whole country and had a wonderful time. The french people were great, very generous and hospitable on the whole.

What that has to do with the antics of their national rugby team I have no idea. The French team has a history of being dirty players, Gougerie is in good company there.

We are human being. As player in the small countryside rugby team south west of France I met stupids and primitivs players. But please are you sure that in your country every player are the perfect player without thinking how to breack the neck of one adversers? Once I'had to face the death of an 18 year old player in this little tournament from village to village. I know it's possible but killing someone doesn't belong to my tradition and the french federation do a lot of work toward the young player to learn respect, loving the game, respecting the referee without contest and overall to conserve a tradition of conviviality.
By the way you have no idea how we love the AB team, how we love the Maori people and how happy we are for you and your victory. That s why I don't admit this term"France team has a history of being dirty players". It's an offense of all what is doing in France and not just in the national team but also in the small federation. Craps existing everywhere even in NZ. If you travel in Corsica you will welcome and I show you one this dirty player.!!I'll will invite you for a glass of corsican wine.
Our lovling enemy are Englishmen no NZ men

 

[UilamOsa]

the biggest load of **** has come from DONMCDAZZLE when he said hes been to france and the people were friendly etc, any english speaker whos been to france would know thats all ****

I was in France for the RWC 2007 and the French were nothing but nice. A bit standoffish in Paris, but a sweet crippled man in Nantes held my hand to show us to Nantes stadium for the Samoa vs England game. He literally hobbled off the tram with us to guide us to the game.

That said, the french guests i've been hosting for the RWC have said that they do have people in France that are arrogant and not the most friendly.

But which country doesn't have that?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

the biggest load of **** has come from DONMCDAZZLE when he said hes been to france and the people were friendly etc, any english speaker whos been to france would know thats all ****

:huh:
I've spent a lot of time in France over the years, and I've never had a bad experience with anyone at all

 

[igorBastia]

I wish you well friend in overcoming personal sickness within your family and am hopeful that there will be more supporters like you that give Rugby, in spite of all the bad calls, a really good name. Your gracious response in spite of your own teams loss is a credit to you and the game as well  Obviously your perspective on life has been adjusted through sufferings and in the end this is a GAME ! I have also been close to death many years ago with a benign brain tumor and 2 serious operations, the last of which was 20 years ago and by the grace of God I'm still here ! It certainly puts a lot of issues in life into proper perspective and I for one think a gracious spirit is too be far more desired than winning any argument !!
Well played by the French but I think the ABs and 4 million people have suffered too long with the AWFUL chokers tag and are RELIEVED to FINALLY have this ***le

BRAVO rendez vous to the next WWCup!

 

[Sam Owen]

I don't believe so. AFAIK Joubert has yet to receive death threats like Barnes did, or have his wikipedia page hacked and vandalised, and have custom "hate" sites appear.

Well, in that case the kiwis are the worst. Thats just crazy.