10 Nov 2013, 02:27#2
I thought Smith played very well at Centre. There was no French punching through the midfield.
I also thought Paco played very well for France.
JWJust_win
Captain18,570 posts
JWJust_winCaptain18,570 posts
10 Nov 2013, 02:29#3
Not a very satisfying game from my perspective but there were some good things.
It's good that the ABs get a scare once and a while, it's too easy get complacent. Ths game helped prepare them for the Poms. Poms weren't that good today but they will be up for the game against the ABs.
France played well enough to give us a scare - it's their specialty.
It is good Cory Jane is back and showed he still has it. Charles Piutau looked fantastic, hard to believe he is so a new All Black.
10 Nov 2013, 04:31#5
I agree with you Mozart. The rest of the French squad are no slouch either.
Fofana is indeed a very good player. I think he may be from Wallis & Futuna, a small island Nation and a French Colony in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. Wallis and Futuna have similar traits and a culture that is not too disimiliar to Tongans.
Talking about Heritage, the last try scored by Italy against the Wallabies was by someone whose father is Scottish, mother Italian and uncles who played in the distant past for the Springboks - wow.
PAPapamoa
Club Pro683 posts
10 Nov 2013, 04:39#6
we got away with it. Defence was not our usual standard. Many fell off tackles. AB were grinded down to play the French style. Slow slug fest. AB didn't really get into there groove. A lot to improve. Good to get a kick up the pants from time to time. Makes them try harder next time.
10 Nov 2013, 05:36#9
Mike, that was a very good French performance. At no point did the ABs give any indication that they were complacent. Players such as Cory Jane (back after a long layoff with injury), Smith on a learning curve at centre, Ben Franks (back after a calf injury), Carter still recovering from an AC joint dislocation, Coles still learning how to walk at hooker - they all played as well as they could. The tactical substitutions did not result in any noticable drop in the tempo played out through the whole match.
I thought the soft tuff and Paco's puzzling decisions combined more to disappoint fans than the ABs dropping their standards. No 2 consecutive Test Matches are ever alike - although there were a few similarities between the game against Japan and the Test Match just gone.
10 Nov 2013, 14:30#10
France allways seem to get praised just for taking the time to turn up to the game on time .......oh well good on them for making the effort I suppose .ABS still have the wood on them though ,8 in a row makes you someones bunny far as I'm concerned !
JWJust_win
Captain18,570 posts
JWJust_winCaptain18,570 posts
10 Nov 2013, 15:05#11
Hi Cloudy, well the Poms will be pumped, lol
All they have to do is make sure the field is soggy & the grass comes up in chunks & the follow the French game plan. Although they played poorly against Argentina (they did not look like the no. 3 in the world) they will be very encouraged. The English press will be having a field day so by the time the game starts next weekend the Poms will feel they are already no. 1.
ABs will have to score early to silence the crowd & so we can play or style of rugby.
SASaffolk
Captain30,741 posts
SASaffolk Captain30,741 posts
10 Nov 2013, 15:41#12
The better side on the day lost, great defence by the AB's though and a mark of a great side that they win the games they look weaker in.
JWJust_win
Captain18,570 posts
JWJust_winCaptain18,570 posts
10 Nov 2013, 17:48#13
Cloudy : all good over here. Wife gets back next week so I was able to watch rugby all weekend & guilt free too , lol hope all is well with you also?
Most NH teams know they have a better chance of beating SH teams on a slow track but it's hard to believe they purposely make it so bad. Usually it is because of poor drainage & or poor light. Still when it puts players @ risk & reduces the quality if the game it is bad for rugby . I have no problem with the old fashion mud pits we used to play on but when the sod peels up like a carpet it means the injury risk goes up unnecessarily . In the US they addressed these problems because the players are worth money to the owners. Money talks.
MDMonkey D Luffy
Pro6,277 posts
MDMonkey D LuffyPro6,277 posts
10 Nov 2013, 18:06#14
did anyone see that build up to the game with buck shelford talking about the All Blacks french rivalry???
dammmmmmn, talk about goosebump pie, o_O
french were awesome, im sure given that they gave it everything they had and then some out there against the worlds best, they will be hurting more from the loss then the All Blacks will be happy with the win. All Blacks IMO would be more relieved.
defence won it on the day, especially tarewa kerr barlows try saving tackle, thats becoming a signature move for the chiefs maori hard halfback.
i love the All Blacks halfback combo, aaron smith to get the ball rolling and then kerr barlow to finish it off, best halfback bench combo in the world bar none, and even better is the fact theyre both infants, no chance of the two retiring anytime soon for the next 8 years IMO.
we had weepu/cowan for the henry era, and with out skipping a beat, we now have smith/barlow, meke to the max, :o)
@mozter,
"Was that ball grounded in the 78th minute....who knows."
i know bro, like du preezs try, it was really a no try,
