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

[Izzoard]

Yayyy, you won't regret this. When we lift the trophee in one week, you'll be one of the only non french happy people on the rugby planet

From an Englishman: Allez les Bleus! Your fans are far better fun in the pub than the Kiwi's! Come on lads, man up and bring that trophy home!

Have a look to : http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10759315

So it's France wearing white and therefore disrespecting Englands kit, ratehr than the Kiwi's? ****ter*

Strange that the french would give up their colours as they would lose out on the physchological edge but nonetheless good sportsmanship shown

I think maybe they won a physchological edge in being the better man...

 

[no-1-rugby-fan]

Really do hope New Zealand stuff France like they did in the pool stages. That is coming from a bitter Wales fan!

 

[erwanseb]

In current circumstances, New Zealanders would rather have a blue tide than a black one....

Sorry bad joke

 

[Jer1cho]

France are a mere speedhump. If New Zealand play half as good as what they were against Australia, then France would do well to lose by less than 20.

Certain players were born to lift this trophy. Francois Pienaar, John Eales, John Smit... Richie McCaw's time is now. He has been one of the greatest servants of not only NZ rugby, but world rugby.

No player deserves it more, and no team deserves it more. It's a shame we couldn't face you on your path to glory. France are lucky to be part of such a magnificent occasion. 'Throwing a pool game' for an easy route, losing to Tonga, beating a really average England team, and beating a 14 man Welsh team. Wales or South Africa would have been a far better contest, and more fitting for such an occasion.

Go on New Zealand, win it.


*Note, I have nothing against the French. I have far more against the Wallacheats, but really, you are beyond lucky to have made the final.

 

[dan the man nz]

yeah mate pretty bad taste eh..

i believe this game could be close as france is capable playing a smart kicking game terratory wise and can convert most of there penalty chances

overall however it will probly be the frail defensive weaknesses of frances back three that will let them down as medard in particular seems to be a flake

 

[Izzoard]

Really do hope New Zealand stuff France like they did in the pool stages. That is coming from a bitter Wales fan!

Jesus, get over it! It was your teams fault they didn't go through, not France.

 

[igy]

anything is possible when it comes to France, it's the most unpredictable team in the world and it wouldn't be a surprise to me if they beat the All Blacks.



BTW their away jersey is beautiful, imo is the best looking jersey in the WC.

 

[greyMan]

Strange that the french would give up their colours as they would lose out on the physchological edge but nonetheless good sportsmanship shown

Maybe it's to lull them into a false sense of security? Or perhaps they don't want to **** the AB off by making them play in another coloured shirt? :lol:

But yeah, probably just good sportsmanship - they're playing at home in front of their crowd in the final of the Rugby World Cup. It would be wrong to not let them play in their colours...

 

[greyMan]

It's funny the Northern Hemisphere posters are saying the game was boring. It was vintage Northern Hemisphere style. Full on forward battles and kick the ball as much as you can..

Perhaps that's why we find it boring... we see it so often?

But to be fair... I don't think anyone could say that the Wales vs France match was "boring"...

 

[Eirian]

Craig Joubert referring - The best choice in my opinion....

Bryce Lawrence and Alain Rolland have both had nightmarish World Cups - and should in all honesty, retire...

 

[Saintjay]

Craig Joubert referring - The best choice in my opinion....

Bryce Lawrence and Alain Rolland have both had nightmarish World Cups - and should in all honesty, retire...

Lawrence has not been great, Rolland average but he is spot on with his knowledge of the dangerous tackle law.

 

[Saintjay]

Really do hope New Zealand stuff France like they did in the pool stages. That is coming from a bitter Wales fan!

Look on the bright side, Under armour shirts will remain cheap, they do not have to waste money on expensive gold thread sewing a little cup into the shirt sleeves for 2015

 

[Jer1cho]

Lawrence has not been great, Rolland average but he is spot on with his knowledge of the dangerous tackle law.

Agreed. Rolland is my second most hated referee after Bryce Lawless. As much as sending off Warburton ruined the game as a contest, it was the right call. Further evidence of it being the right call was made when he was handed a 3 week suspension. If Dusotoir did that, and was sent off, I have no doubt that the Welsh would have agreed with the decision. It was really sad though, as Wales would have won that game with 15 players, and Warburton, as great as he is, showed his inexperience.

Bryce Lawless on the other hand, just ran around as a spectator. He didn't do anything. He completely ignored every single indiscretion at the breakdown. He just flat out ignored it.

Joubert is a great referee, and hopefully he will not have to make a game changing decision, spoiling it as a contest. Also, hopefully he won't run around as a spectator and forget that he is actually the referee.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Rolland made a decision which was right, but not popular. It shows what a great referee he is that he doesn't change his opinion due to the possible reactions from the press and fans. after Samoa-gate, things could have been different with referees being extra cautious, but Rolland stood his ground, decided to stick with his strict way of reffing. Not the best, but at least up there with Joubert when it comes to consistency.

 

[Saintjay]

Agreed. Rolland is my second most hated referee after Bryce Lawless. As much as sending off Warburton ruined the game as a contest, it was the right call. Further evidence of it being the right call was made when he was handed a 3 week suspension. If Dusotoir did that, and was sent off, I have no doubt that the Welsh would have agreed with the decision. It was really sad though, as Wales would have won that game with 15 players, and Warburton, as great as he is, showed his inexperience.

Bryce Lawless on the other hand, just ran around as a spectator. He didn't do anything. He completely ignored every single indiscretion at the breakdown. He just flat out ignored it.

Joubert is a great referee, and hopefully he will not have to make a game changing decision, spoiling it as a contest. Also, hopefully he won't run around as a spectator and forget that he is actually the referee.

Yeah the only thing I find with Joubert is he is very quick to blow for holding onto the ball. He seems very quick compared to others but he has been the best ref, I guess it is like the advantage law some ref's let it go on forever others half the time.

If the Boks had Rolland at least you know he would be blowing for pretty much every foul. He is very black and white with the rules. It may have killed the Boks, Australia game with foul after foul being blown but nobody could complain he did nothing.

 

[tbhp]

I think that NZ will win this. If France wins, we will be remembered as the most undeserving champions in WC history, and that would not be good for rugby. On the other hand, if France plays an epic game (as we all secretly, or not so secretly, hope), it would give the impression that teams like Tonga and Italy could actually fight for the ***le... I don't think that would be bad for the image of rugby. Anyway, just wishful thinking.

No it won't give that impression. It's not because we lost aginst them once, by accident, that they can beat the Blacks as we can. France is probably the only team in the world that can go from extremely bad to extremely good in just three weeks. A french win next week would correspond completely to our trademard : unpredictability.

 

[cardassian]

No it won't give that impression. It's not because we lost aginst them once, by accident, that they can beat the Blacks as we can. France is probably the only team in the world that can go from extremely bad to extremely good in just three weeks. A french win next week would correspond completely to our trademard : unpredictability.

Do you normally lose games on purpose?

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Do you normally lose games on purpose?

only if it leads to an easier run in the playoffs

 

[tbhp]

Do you normally lose games on purpose?

Come on, you know what i meant...

 

[FlukeArtist]

Firstly, I have to say that it was bloody sporting of France to give up the right to wearing their "home" jersey, and stating they will play in their away kit. Great gesture.

And secondly, I have met a lot of French people during the cup, and have to say that they have all been great ambassadors for their country and their team. They were gracious in defeat after the first NZ-France game, and as much as it is a shame for Wales (my family is from Wales) I am glad the French are in the final, for the sake of their fans (Thats not to say the other nations fans haven't been excellent too- they all have).

re: The Final this saturday:

It seems there are a lot of short memories here in NZ.
It is not just that France are the kind of team capable of turning on the magic when the Rugby world least expects it, but considering the history France have of stuffing the ABs at world cups, some of the fans and media here that are already proclaiming the All Blacks as World Champions is just ridiculous.

The funny thing is; a lot of the people making these predictions that the ABs just have to show up and the ***le is theirs, are the same people that 2 weeks ago were saying NZ's world cup was over after Dan Carter was invalided out of the tournament.

They are also the same people that thought the ABs were going to obliterate Argentina by 30-40 points, when the reality is, the AB's could have lost that game.
Personally, I cannot see a French back missing an intecept like the one the Argentinians missed in the lead-up to the Kieren Read try.

The NZ rugby public needs to temper their enthusiasm and expectations.
If they need a reality check, just refer to the recent game in Dunedin in '09. Or '07 in Cardiff... or '99... or '94 at Eden Park.

Write off France at your peril.