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

[Larksea]

I can't believe people think a red card was the correct decision. he let the guy go in the air and the tackled player did not land on his head or even mostly land on his shoulder and he was uninjured - sure he stayed down to milk it a bit but not for long.

Yellow card would have been fine and consistent with other similar tackles in the tournament and the ultimate punishment would have been the fact that if the welsh had won Sam would not have been able to play in the final.

 

[barthelemy]

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.

I do not agree with this statement. All french players have said after the match about the sent off of Warburton that they found themselves in an unexpected situation. they could not loose that game anymore (against 14 players) and they unconsciensly decided to take a minimum risk, they just played to not loose, not to win. As well, the need to not consume too much energy in that semi-final became even more important (because they were playing against 14 and they had the occasion to have a more relax match to be ready properly for the final) Without the red card, the match would have been different but certainly not automatically a victory from Wales. you can say all what you want but our records against Wales in these last 20 years are largely in favour of France. Wales has effectively done a good match against south africa (but losing it) and a very good match against Ireland (it is not the all black even if I have a lot of respect for the irish). I really think that everybody was glad for the welsh so everybody prayed them. But at the end, if you base your judgement for next sunday on this semi final against Wales to say that France is a shitty team, you are totally wrong. Ok they put themselves under pressure finally all along the match playing this very minimal game, but again, thinking that it is representative of France, it is fully wrong.

Saying that and being rationalistic, we should loose on Sunday because I really think ABs are superior to France (not because France would be a shitty team who would have have an imaginary luck to arrive in final). I'm french so I'm hoping to win and I will support my team defenitly. I give 20% chance to win to France. First they will have to enter with a knife in their mouth on the pitch, they will have to resist to the physic ABs fight, they will have to be almost perfect in defense (I think, despite what a lot of people thing, that the match against Wales was a very good "training" for france in the way they were really focused to not consume themselves in rucks) and then, they will have to bring on the magic (specifically our backline with Medard, Clerc...)

 

[Saintjay]

I can't believe people think a red card was the correct decision. he let the guy go in the air and the tackled player did not land on his head or even mostly land on his shoulder and he was uninjured - sure he stayed down to milk it a bit but not for long.

Yellow card would have been fine and consistent with other similar tackles in the tournament and the ultimate punishment would have been the fact that if the welsh had won Sam would not have been able to play in the final.

Mate you need to read the rules of the game, it is not being in control of the player in the air that got him sent off, it's exactly for that reason it was deemed dangerous. Go on the Wales France thread it's all covered on there.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I can't believe people think a red card was the correct decision. he let the guy go in the air and the tackled player did not land on his head or even mostly land on his shoulder and he was uninjured - sure he stayed down to milk it a bit but not for long.

As has been said about 32billion times, the IRB state that if tip then player and you let go in the air it's a red.
End. Of. Story.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Ok so definitely would love France to win this. My girlfriend and family are French so I'm not entirely bereft of French connections and I love their rugby when they actually play it. France are the only northern hemisphere team to have shown they can beat literally anyone and I just want them to be a good advert for NH rugby. This said, I also love New Zealand and am in doubt that they most deserve to win this tournament.

France CAN win this, but will only stand a chance if they play their truly best side and stop fannying around with Parra at 10. Have to admit I'm not up to scratch on French injuries but this strikes me as their best side:

1) Domingo: Just noticed he's not in the squad...Poux?
2) Servat
3) Mas
4) nallet
5) Millo-Chluski (None of this Pape nonsense!)
6) Bonnaire
7) Dusatoir
8) Harinordoquy
9) Parra
10) Trinh-Duc
11) Medard
12) Mermoz (This is something I'm not at all clear on, who France's best 3 is.)
13) Rougerie
14) Clerc
15) Heymans

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

A red card doesn't depend on the landing or a possible injury. Easy as that... It's the act itself, not the consequences that determine the punishment

 

[barthelemy]

I wanted to add as well that the french chances are maybe in the fact that Dan carter is not playing. If we found ourselves in a very close game with very few points of difference, the relative "inexperience" of Cruden could be an advantage for France at the end of the match. In 2007, if the ABs have not been able to finish us with a drop, it was specifically because of the youth of McAllister, if I remember well. As I do not see in anyway France leading by 40 points a 20 minutes of the end of the match, the experience could be one of the key of the match. Saying that, there is a lot of other experienced players in AB team so let see...

I'm not saying that Cruden is playing badly, he is playing very well until now for a young guy like him. but on a very tense match, the mental and the experience are crucials.

Donald could be a nice and experienced substitute in case of a close and tight match for ABs.

 

[tbhp]

A red card doesn't depend on the landing or a possible injury. Easy as that... It's the act itself, not the consequences that determine the punishment

Obviously. It would be like shooting someone then refusing to be punished because the victim survived somehow.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Obviously. It would be like shooting someone then refusing to be punished because the victim survived somehow.

you'd have to be VERY forceful in refusing to be punished for them to just give up trying to punish you.

 

[kovana]

Lets be honest boys.

NZ has won their 2nd RWC. We dont need to play the final. NZ has dominated every team on the way to the cup. This is the most easiest match to call.

Congrats to the Kiwis. Only problem would be the arrogance levels will shoot thru the roof. It will be nauseating.

From the herald. Seems they are already planning the victory parade.

Auckland Council chiefs are quietly planning a Rugby World Cup victory parade for the All Blacks

 

[barthelemy]

Lets be honest boys.

NZ has won their 2nd RWC. We dont need to play the final. NZ has dominated every team on the way to the cup. This is the most easiest match to call.

Congrats to the Kiwis. Only problem would be the arrogance levels will shoot thru the roof. It will be nauseating.

It is why France has the very delicate mission to cure the blacks from this arrogance, this awfull disease. Once every 4 years, we bring them some mysterious french medecine

 

[donmcdazzle]

It is why France has the very delicate mission to cure the blacks from this arrogance. Once every 4 years, we make them understand that some other teams of rugby are existing somewhere in the world...

The guy who said it was a Samoan supporter, no NZ supporters share this attitude so stop tarring us with someone else's brush. As much as you Frenchies would like to believe we are writing you off, our media are slagging you off and we think we've already won it, it isn't the case.

Starting to get wound up by all the suggestions that us NZers think we have the game won and just have to show up etc. We have various reasons to be wary of the French team, and we all know too well that they could turn up and beat us. So French supporters, stop beating this angle to death, it isn't there.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Planning the victory parade is not arrogance, it's normal. What if you win? Should you plan it in 5 minutes? No... Both finalists will be planning it.

 

[kovana]

The problem is people are actually believing the French have a chance..

Pleeasseee.... If you believe the french will pull something off.. While most likely they will be thrashed by 40 points.

If you didnt know, the Auckland council are already planning the Victory parade next Tuesday.

Anyways, NZ deserve it. Cmon, history is repeating itself, and it is demanding a NZ win. Form and skill are also on the NZ side.

 

[barthelemy]

The guy who said it was a Samoan supporter, no NZ supporters share this attitude so stop tarring us with someone else's brush. As much as you Frenchies would like to believe we are writing you off, our media are slagging you off and we think we've already won it, it isn't the case.

Hey I was fully joking and I know that he is not a NZ bloke. I have the luck to know a lot of Kiwis here in london and I can say that if there is a non arrogant people on the rugby planet, it is kiwis... Do not get me wrong, I'm sure that kiwis won't fight France with Arrogance but with real rugby. I do not believe one minute that Kiwis are writing us off, the past is still present. you just did not understand my humour on this one.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

You can say what you want, but France have conceded only 2 tries against England... New Zealand conceded 2 against Argentina... They won the semi's without scoring a try. They're very clinical. Things can happen. What if NZ struggle as much as they did against Argentina? What if Parra breaks through the line of defence?

Anything can happen and NZ still have to play the game. We'll see. They are likely to win, but don't take anything for granted.

 

[kovana]

i have the luck to know a lot of kiwis here in london and i can say that if there is a non arrogant people on the rugby planet, it is kiwis..

lol.

 

[tbhp]

The problem is people are actually believing the French have a chance..

Pleeasseee.... If you believe the french will pull something off.. While most likely they will be thrashed by 40 points.

If you didnt know, the Auckland council are already planning the Victory parade next Tuesday.

Anyways, NZ deserve it. Cmon, history is repeating itself, and it is demanding a NZ win. Form and skill are also on the NZ side.

Form and skill are always on NZ side, no matter the opposant. That doesn't mean they always win.

It would be atrocious if they lost by 40 points. They "only" lost by 20 in pool stages, i think they can do better in a final.

 

[barthelemy]

lol.

hope you had the chance to compare with australian, south african, english, welsh, irish, scots, french, italian or argentinan dude...Me everyday

You seem the only arrogant one here finally...

 

[Darwin]

The problem is people are actually believing the French have a chance..

Pleeasseee.... If you believe the french will pull something off.. While most likely they will be thrashed by 40 points.

If you didnt know, the Auckland council are already planning the Victory parade next Tuesday.

Anyways, NZ deserve it. Cmon, history is repeating itself, and it is demanding a NZ win. Form and skill are also on the NZ side.

Your right. France has no chance. Just like they had no chance in 2007....... oh wait

Don't get me wrong, I think the AB's will win (and win reasonably comfortably), but to suggest France has no chance is very naive...