France vs ABs

[UKHamlet]

Hmmm. I thought that was a great test match. The pressure France applied told in the end, but NZ showed great character.

[Puja]

NZ fell away for some reason and France took advantage, well played. Hope that momentum lasts and lasts and lasts, I really hope France win this whole thing.

If England can't win (and let's face it, they can't), I'd love France to win it. Would be great for the sport to have a new champion.

Puja

[morepork]

Damn all your eyes RR people, all your eyes.

Why oh why did we revert to kick and hope?

[tigran]

Nice one Puja


Very nervous till Penaud's try, I think the ref really helped NZ on occasions, and our tv director should have pointed it... we should do like others..

Now they have done the most important thing, winning their first game against a revenge thirst black side, that result will free them and Danty, Baille, maybe Jelonch are goind to come back hopefully..

Jalibert did more than ok, he has been brilliant I think, Aldritt immense, the blacks have been dangerous almost all game, but it wasn't to be for them

[Danno]

Damn all your eyes RR people, all your eyes.

Why oh why did we revert to kick and hope?

T-E-R-R-IT-O-R-Y.

it's the new crash 12/Lomu/15 playmaker/1-3-3-1/spiral bomb/test match animal

[Danno]

Aldritt is nuts. He had a carry in the first half that would have scared me if I was 3 metres tall and made of reinforced concrete

[Puja]

Nice one Puja


Very nervous till Penaud's try, I think the ref really helped NZ on occasions, and our tv director should have pointed it... we should do like others..

Your directors are infamous for it, to the extent that I was slightly worried about a RWC in France - they seemed to've gone completely missing today though.

Puja

[switchskier]

Tough job well done in the end by the French. Their coaches earned their wage at half time and they really turned up in the second half. Defence weirdly narrow at times though.

NZ did some good things but felt they were quite passive in the second half. They ceeded the ruck area to the French. Maybe Cane was a bigger miss than expected.

[16th man]

France were at 80%ish, looking to Dupont far too much at points.

ABs need to find something up front, otherwise Ireland and the Boks are munching them up front.

Once the "chuck it to Tellea" move started to get shut down, New Zealand ran out of ideas.

[16th man]

NZ did some good things but felt they were quite passive in the second half. They ceeded the ruck area to the French. Maybe Cane was a bigger miss than expected.

The French were on top up front throughout, and second half they managed to shut down the fling it wide escape route the ABs had in the first half.

Not sure the ABs were passive, versus just not having the fire power up front.

[francoisfou]

Very satisfactory win! NZ looked very sharp at times but errors were excessive and were punished, but they’ll learn from this defeat and come back stronger.

[BaldiePete]

Nice one Puja


Very nervous till Penaud's try, I think the ref really helped NZ on occasions, and our tv director should have pointed it... we should do like others..

Your directors are infamous for it, to the extent that I was slightly worried about a RWC in France - they seemed to've gone completely missing today though.

Puja

In the RWC control over the TV pictures might be controlled by World Rugby rather than a director from the host nation?

[tigran]

Damn all your eyes RR people, all your eyes.

Why oh why did we revert to kick and hope?

It's not finished porkie

[francoisfou]

Oh, and wtf happened to La Marseillaise?

[16th man]

Oh, and wtf happened to La Marseillaise?

As is the tradition with God save the queen, no one told the musical act hired to do it to go at the speed the crowd have learned to sing it at. So the kids choir were about half a bar ahead of the crowd.

[tigran]

Oh, and wtf happened to La Marseillaise?

I've said to myself during la marseillaise, that we had, at last found a way to screw things up...

[tigran]

Nice one Puja


Very nervous till Penaud's try, I think the ref really helped NZ on occasions, and our tv director should have pointed it... we should do like others..

Your directors are infamous for it, to the extent that I was slightly worried about a RWC in France - they seemed to've gone completely missing today though.

Puja

In the RWC control over the TV pictures might be controlled by World Rugby rather than a director from the host nation?

Don't know, but I've watched it on RTé and the pundits were astonished that the french tv didn't show the replays, especially the one of the "intercept" of Tellea preventing a french try.

[Cameo]

Quite a few unforced errors from both sides but NZ really stressed France by keeping the pace up. Some of the backs looked dangerous and S Barrett was immense all night. The number of times he got a French back by his fingertips and held on was incredible.

Second half, France took control while also offloading and taking risks when it was on. Their kicking game is something else too - every player seems to have an extra ten metres compared to what you expect. NZ had spells of good kicking but persisted with the bombs far too long (and BB's kick to touch 8 points down with 5 mins to go was bizarre).

Plenty to improve on from both sides but I think France will be happy while NZ will be concerned but not panicky. Ultimately, NZ need a lot to come off for them to beat France, Ireland or SA but they can do it, and they were missing half their starting pack as well as J Barret. A lot of power not there tonight.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Yep. You don’t want to over complicate anthems. Cost them a try.

Meanwhile, I'll swear that the Haka gets longer and more overwrought every year. I've seen shorter and less overwrought pauses for effect while watching Nic Berry call a scrum in.

Puja

They've got a nice carved stick though.

[fivepointer]

NZ a bit better than i expected but France got on top and probably had another 10% in reserve.

The anthems were horrendous.

The haka is now just simply ridiculous.

[Croft_No.5]

Agree about the Haka. I expect that WR do control the TV and there has perhaps been an edict passed to no show anything controversial. Seemed that way, which isn't great for the armchair viewer. ITV should be banned from ever televising the rugby, mind numbingly dull coverage.

[tigran]

Yes apparently it wasn't the french tv directing it

[wanderingjock]

NZ a bit better than i expected but France got on top and probably had another 10% in reserve.

The anthems were horrendous.

The haka is now just simply ridiculous.

Haha. Yup on both points.