RWC: France - Tonga (01-10-2011, 18:00)

[LittleGuy]

LOL Canadian Forward Jebb Sinclairs tweet about the game "Dear France, #WTF?"

 

[nlsanand]

Tonga made the right decision not to go for the tries in the second half. Just in wining this game they have done something incredible. They were not going to score those tries against France and were better to just focus on winning the game.

I would note that this probably secured them direct qualification, so maybe there was some thought by the Tongans towards that matter.

 

[Amobokoboko]

Awesome game by the Tongans. I reckon the French and Lievremont will have some work to do for the next game.

 

[nlsanand]

I mean seriously that last five minutes was the dumbest thing I have ever seen on a rugby pitch.

I missed the match, has anyone heard an explanation on why France didn't just kick the penalty?

 

[no-1-rugby-fan]

Tonga should have won by a far bigger, they battered an awful France with their simple passing game and for power. They just lacked the final application when they got themselves into good positions to score tries. France are in turmoil and you have to favour England to beat them.

 

[bagrata]

 

[Surefire]

This is the type of game that makes me happy to be a France Fan! Always exciting and unexpected, you never know which team will beat you. I really do pity the All Black's fans with their high win % and no suspense about the outcome of the game....
Ah who am I kidding this sucks
Congrats to Tonga again, just watched the highlights, couldnt sit through the whole thing again, and they played great. Few handeling errors but really showed great presence.

 

[Canucks]

I missed the match, has anyone heard an explanation on why France didn't just kick the penalty?

You know what, I don't go against France for doing that.
That was team decision. They already lost to Tonga, and you had Tonga #3 trash talking asking for a scrum, you have had a terrible performance. Would you rather hear about how you went for the kick to get the BP and barely qualify or would you have gone for it and put a final stamp on the game?
Credit to France, if your going to lose like that, you at least go out in a blaze of glory because if they couldn't score that try then someone else should be advancing.

Good team building.

 

[kovana]

Great game by Tonga.. See the difference when a team has a good 7 days of rest!? Tonga had 6 days rest before their game against Japan as well.

 

[LittleGuy]

You know what, I don't go against France for doing that.
That was team decision. They already lost to Tonga, and you had Tonga #3 trash talking asking for a scrum, you have had a terrible performance. Would you rather hear about how you went for the kick to get the BP and barely qualify or would you have gone for it and put a final stamp on the game?
Credit to France, if your going to lose like that, you at least go out in a blaze of glory because if they couldn't score that try then someone else should be advancing.

Good team building.

There were 4 minutes left in the game I don't blame them for taking the scrum, but to just let it sit at their feet when they could have swung it wide much earlier was just bizarre. They did have time to come back and win, but as Smartcooky said they just didn't want to be there.

 

[Black Heart]

Great game from Tonga but I didn't appreciate their on field, pre-win antics. It's one thing to be excited about a win before the final whistle blows but I don't see any need for rubbing it in the opponents faces. Talk about being humble in victory. For me, that attitude took a bit of sparkle out of the win.

 

[IKALETAHI]

They werent talking to the french players...they were Saying "HOKA" they were pumping the boys up to smash the french Scrum I thought it was awesome. The only thing they said to the french was to go for another scrum...once they were in the scrum they were just telling the boys behind em to smash through the french...nothing wrong with that.

 

[Black Heart]

Perhaps, but it didn't look that way in the front row.The way I see it there's a place for celebration but there's also a place for being humble, and rubbing it in the opponent's face is not sportsman like.

 

[IKALETAHI]

Different cultures I guess Pacific Islanders are known for being Humble and shy all they were doing was screaming HOKA!! which means smash em great way to pump each other up. Like pre match war dances...Its just how Islanders, scream at each other asking each other to smash the opposition is great I think.

 

[Black Heart]

Much of the verbal was directed at the French front row from the Togan front row.

I'm not going to argue about what they may or may not have been saying. I'm only commenting on what I saw. I'll check the video when it comes out.

 

[SelimNiai]

Are you naive enough to suggest that forwards don't wind their opposite numbers up when on top. It happens at every level. In fact the French are pretty good at dishing it out so I'm sure they can take it in reply

 

[Black Heart]

Are you naive enough to suggest that forwards don't wind their opposite numbers up when on top. It happens at every level. In fact the French are pretty good at dishing it out so I'm sure they can take it in reply

Not at all. I used to play tighthead before shifting out to the blindside. But I see a difference in simply winding up your opposition throughout the game and verbally driving home the fact that they had lost the game (if that was indeed the case)

There's always a need for spostmanship even at the highest level.

 

[SelimNiai]

Not at all. I used to play tighthead before shifting out to the blindside. But I see a difference in simply winding up your opposition throughout the game and verbally driving home the fact that they had lost the game (if that was indeed the case)

There's always a need for spostmanship even at the highest level.

Fair enough.

I admit I never saw the whole game but switched on when France were camped on Tongas line in last few minutes. All I saw was the Tongans so excited that they were going to win looking forward to another scrum.

I don't think what I saw was rubbing it in tbh

 

[Black Heart]

I don't know if that was the case myself, but it did look like it from what I saw.

Anyway, that's just my opinion.

 

[Canucks]

I don't know if that was the case myself, but it did look like it from what I saw.

Anyway, that's just my opinion.

I'll be less diplomatic than you are.

Tonga #3 was goading the French into the scrum after the penalty was given. He was definately trash talking, no cultural gap/loss in translation there. But Tonga, from the Head Coach down to #3 aren't humble. Maka was bad mouthing Canada after his side lost. Just how the culture of the team (not the country) is as set by the coach.
I do feel that could be a little more humble than goading your opponent at the end of the match and I'm glad France scored that try as little f-you.