ABs: ‘France no grudge match’
23 Nov 2009
Steven Hansen played down the ‘grudge match’ talk on their clash with France this weekend.
The All Blacks face France on Saturday, a match that has been branded as the main event of the European Tour. Considering France have proved to be the All Blacks’ bogey team over the years – as they dumped the New Zealanders out of the 1999 and 2007 World Cups – many expect them to fight harder for victory.
Hansen, however, disagrees. Speaking to the New Zealand media shortly after the All Blacks’ arrival at their hotel in Marseille, the backline coach said there will be no extra influence on the game.
‘They’re one of the top sides in the world, and anybody involved in the game likes to play the top teams,’ said Hansen. ‘But, no [it's not a grudge match], it’s just another good side to play. The venues you normally play them in are outstanding, and it’s just an enjoyable occasion.’
Both teams will have a score to settle after they beat each other earlier this season when France toured Australasia.
Hansen said the All Blacks will look to beat the ‘impressive’ French side and restore some southern hemisphere pride by remaining undefeated against the European nations this tour.
‘We see it as we’ve played them twice already this year and it’s one-all,’ he said. ‘We know it’s going to be a big occasion, they’re playing well, they beat South Africa a couple of weeks ago and now it’s our turn to front up. Marseille will be pumping and hopefully so will we.
‘There are not too many times you get the opportunity to play an opponent that’s beaten you during the year… it is the last Test match of what’s been a long year, but we’ve got the opportunity to do something other southern hemisphere teams haven’t done, and try to go undefeated.’
100 Comments
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23 Nov 2009, 09:08 am
massive weekend coming!
23 Nov 2009, 10:03 am
I don’t usually support the All Blacks against anyone but I hope they F*** up those froggies on Sat.
23 Nov 2009, 10:07 am
Question is… “What French team will pitch up”. AB’s all the way, but they where not convincing against a poor England side. Hoping for a good game.
23 Nov 2009, 10:52 am
I see a choke on the horizon. ABs will be hoping the other french team pitches, if not its de javu time for the chokers.
23 Nov 2009, 11:27 am
This will be a very tough encounter!
23 Nov 2009, 11:52 am
The AB of 2009 are not the one we have come to know or fear, they are a shallow broken bunch that have seen the best and worst of AB rugby in their tenure. The AB have relied on their indivual talent for too long and have stood by their substandard coaching staff (us saffas know the feeling) for too long. Just look how their lineout has become pitifull and their attacks less pwerfull.
If the French can be consistant then they have a good chance, but if they stay true to their nature then we will see a typical inconsistant performance and the AB should win.
This is a hard one to call, but then again so is the Leprecons vs the Boks! LOL
23 Nov 2009, 12:49 pm
@Slappes:
…..Leicester….*choke*……France……*choke*……..Saracens…….*choke*……..Italia…….~gasp~……..Ireland……
looks like your own oxygen supplies are looking a bit low there, boet.
23 Nov 2009, 13:02 pm
@WakaNathan: Waka mate, You know well that when we played the club games (Leicester and Sarries) we never had our 2nd best side there. If the coach does not select the 2nd best that were sitting back home in SA then no we wont beat sides with those players. About 10 players left behind that should have gone.
We never choked against France. France were the better team and they beat us fair and square.
We did however White Wash the All Blacks this year and beat Oz twice and win a Tri-Nations cup and a Lions Series Cup too. Very proud of our Boks winning those comps. Also Bulls won the S14 too.
We are also now missing four players that played in those tourneys. Fransie, JdV, Juan and Spies. Those players do make a difference.
I for one never worry about rankings. More about winning a Series. These eoyt for the SH countries we only get one chance to play against a country up there. If we had to play countries up there twice it would be a far better way to judge a rugby team. Think if we had a chance against Ireland now we sorte out our front row and with Deysel and starting with WO we could beat France if we had another chance. One off games you cant really tell to be fair.
23 Nov 2009, 13:02 pm
@WakaNathan:
Not again ….
23 Nov 2009, 13:04 pm
@WakaNathan: He he – it did look at half time that the choke was on the cards
23 Nov 2009, 13:04 pm
meant if we had a chance against France not Ireland. Typo there.
23 Nov 2009, 13:29 pm
No grudge match, sure. A WAR.
On form Frogs vs slowly getting up ABs.
23 Nov 2009, 13:31 pm
By the way, the only team that has ever beaten Frogs in Marseille, are Argentina. Proud history is on the cards.
23 Nov 2009, 13:48 pm
@Puma:
I agree Puma, but it seems if Boks lose to France it was because they were ‘well beaten’ and yet if ABs do they ‘choke’. A theory that smugly fits the notion that SA retain their pride and NZ lose theirs.
Of course the Club team losses do not affect the Test records and should be considered in their own context but both those Club teams were severely depleted and should have been roadkill for the Bok Bs (no matter whether you dis/agree with the selections). I saw a Bok B team who mirrored their Senior team by fading (choking ?) in the 2ndH on each occasion, a malaise of sorts on the road to domination. Thats not just fitness, thats also mental barriers not being crossed. Choking ?
The ABs seem to be getting criticism even when they win, comfortably, by 13pts. But their Bs still beat a fullstrength 6N team in front of 80,000 – not a depleted Club team.
Slappes is praying that the ABs will choke vs France, but perhaps he should just worry about Dublin for now
ABs vs Fr
Played 7
Won 5
Boks vs Fr
Played 7
Won 1
23 Nov 2009, 13:49 pm
This is going to be huge.NZ might not be the force they once were but they’re still a very capable team,as their ranking suggests.France…ja well,this has been said a 1000 times but it all depends WHICH FRENCH SIDE WILL SHOW UP.They will certainly look to outmuscle the AB in the same way they bullied the Bokke but with Picamoles and Hardinordoquy out for this clash,it’ll be interesting to see if they will be as effective in the physical exchanges.What I’d really like to see though is an encounter in the class of the 99 semi…Wishful thinking I know
23 Nov 2009, 13:51 pm
@Dawn:
This is a NZ vs France thread, Dawn. Why are you here ‘again’ ?
23 Nov 2009, 13:52 pm
I’ll be cheering for the All Blacks against France. I wonder who will be singing the New Zealand national anthem in France.
23 Nov 2009, 13:53 pm
@stew:
I was at HQ and not for 1 minute ever felt an air of anxiety. Even with DC misfiring and Eng punching above their recent-weight, it always felt like only 1 team was threatening.
It will be different in Marseilles, France surely go in to the match as marginal favourites now.
kia kaha
23 Nov 2009, 13:55 pm
Hey Wankathon, at least we scored some tries against Italy.
23 Nov 2009, 14:01 pm
haha, i love the kiwi trying to pull the wind up over midweek games
if the boks are that bad, what does that say about the kiwis who went down 3-0 in 2009?
LMAO!
23 Nov 2009, 14:12 pm
@katman:
more tries than AB B team ?
Its entirely understandable how proud you must feel.
23 Nov 2009, 14:14 pm
this is not a rwc game so blacks should win.
2011 might be a different story though
23 Nov 2009, 14:15 pm
france to kick some kiwi *** again.the kiwis will be choking on some french frogs again and will do so in 2011 as well.frog doesn’t go down well with the sheep shaggers it seems!
23 Nov 2009, 14:20 pm
@Puma: “We never choked against France. France were the better team and they beat us fair and square.”
Hi, Puma! Could you explain what “choking” means, because (as I have seen) it is applied here exclusively in case when the losing side is the ABs, no matter who the opposition are or whether the opposition played better and won fair and square or not.
I do not see any difference at all between NZ losing to France in June and SA losing to France in November.
23 Nov 2009, 14:23 pm
@WakaNathan: Waka mate, It is a very sore point here in SA about those that got selected for our so called 2nd side. There were players playing their hearts out this year and are knocking on the Bok door but don’t even get selected to play as our 2nd side?
Something not right there. If we keep doing that not selecting our best for Boks or our 2nd best to play the mid-week games. Those player will eventually leave SA and play club rugby in Europe. Or please never let it happen but for Oz.
The selectors need to start selecting the best. Otherwise we will lose those players. They wont sit around here forever.
23 Nov 2009, 14:23 pm
@Nils: “Could you explain what “choking” means, because (as I have seen) it is applied here exclusively in case when the losing side is the ABs” incorrect this blog loves using it when refering to any loss by the SHarks as well. I think its the colour of the jerseys
23 Nov 2009, 14:24 pm
@Nils: i think “choking” as used with reference tot he ab’s refers to the fact that they were AGAIN favourites for 2007 but AGAIN went down (this time even more spectacularly by not even making the semis).
but it could refer to the tears dan and richie were choking back that night.
23 Nov 2009, 14:26 pm
@charo:
It seems the Boks run scared of playing France, and yet their fans take great delight in mocking NZs record against France instead.
It took 12 years for SA to meet France in the previous 10 Tests, and yet only 6 years for NZ and France to meet over 10 matches.
NZ vs France
Played 10
Won 8.
SA vs Fr
Played 10
Won 3.
oh, no wonder….
And in RWCs, fortune has favoured the Boks somewhat. Theyve only met ONCE, an extremely controversial win in SA, 1995. So it was somewhat lucky the Boks avoided France in 2007. Phew !
23 Nov 2009, 14:29 pm
@rangerman: Well, if so, NOW the main favourites to win WC are the Boks. You know what it means.
Failure = choking.
23 Nov 2009, 14:29 pm
@Nils: Well I never said that ABs choked. So not sure either. Many say the same about my team the Sharks. That we choke but it is just a word. I don’t take it serious.
France beat us. They played better than us and deserved the win.
We need to select right too. I would start with WO at inside centre this week but we all know that wont happen.
Our front row should be Beast LH, John Hooker and BJ TH.
I would have given JdV and Frans Steyn a call too. That will never happen either but with the players there. WO should start ahead of Adi. That is where we are going to be weak. They will target Adi’s channel for sure. Also hope that Deysel starts and not Burger. See he is training but Deysel is far better at blinside (7) in SA.
23 Nov 2009, 14:30 pm
meant – blindside.
23 Nov 2009, 14:35 pm
@Puma: I was referring to a general trend here, not specifically you, didn’t intend to offend you in any way.
Pity for the Sharks back there in 2007. Such an agony.
And good luck for Dublin Test, Boks certainly will need it, as Irish ain’t pushovers and are much better than Italy with all respect to Azzuri men.
23 Nov 2009, 14:39 pm
@WakaNathan:
the 95 bok win was nowhere near as controversial as the 2007 france win
23 Nov 2009, 14:40 pm
@WakaNathan: Waka to be honest France were not playing great rugby in world cup 2007. Arg even beat them in the opener.
What cost the Abs was them trying for a try for about 15 min on the French line. Wasted far too much time there and McCaw should have called for the drop. That is all it would have taken and ABs would have been through to the semi and final.
Boks played great Rugby in France 2007 feel we would have beaten that French side.
Should have been a Bok/AB final. It was not to be. It wont be in 2011 either as we meet in the semi. Strange how they work that out in rugby that the number one and two sides in the world meet in a semi. Most sports it is worked out that those two sides if they win all the games would meet in the final.
Now if we are both still number one and two then one of us are out before the final. Sad actually.
23 Nov 2009, 14:40 pm
@Nils:
Puma is too much of a gentleman to say ‘choke’, but my feline friend still has his own subtle way of getting his message thru.
23 Nov 2009, 14:41 pm
@charo:
after 95 france didn’t go into a state of national angst and write a 4000 page report on it
23 Nov 2009, 14:43 pm
why should it be a Bok/AB final when one team wasn’t good enough to get there? that’s disrespectful to the other teams.
23 Nov 2009, 14:45 pm
@Nils: ja, that is true nils.
but if we win it…?
23 Nov 2009, 14:46 pm
@Nils: No problem Nils, You never offended me at all.
Yes, I still feel the pain of that S14 final when Sharks lost to the Bulls, we should have won it had we kicked it out. That is how it goes. Just have to live with it. Maybe one day we will win it. Hoping.
Ireland are going to be really tough to beat. I have no illusions about this game coming up this weekend. Going to be really hard. Just hope for a Bok win being a Bok supporter.
23 Nov 2009, 14:49 pm
@rangerman: Then you will be worthy winners, no argument.
@Puma: Perhaps it’s about noise there. Remember, how lucky Sharks were that year to beat Saders when all they needed is to kick that bloody thing out, but Brett didn’t. Probably he did not hear the bloody hooter.
That was an awesome game anyway.
23 Nov 2009, 14:50 pm
@WakaNathan: He is a gentleman, no doubt. Never a rude word or middle finger to us – virtual “foes”.
23 Nov 2009, 14:53 pm
@Big Hit: Hi, BH, you mean, disrespectful to the other … erm… referee?
Ok, ok, France are good when they bother to play, I know. They showed it in Toulouse already and hopefully will show it in Marseille (but it will not be enough this time).
23 Nov 2009, 14:56 pm
@WakaNathan: Oh, so when it’s your lot you pull out the A-team vs B-team defense?
And I have little doubt that the Leicester and Saracens sides that beat us would beat your so-called B-team too.
23 Nov 2009, 14:56 pm
@Nils: I guess it was a case of what goes around comes around
But you have to hear the hooter now,I am sure they have made it a couple of notches higher, can’t miss it now 
23 Nov 2009, 14:58 pm
@Nils: I’m sure every team’s supporters could’ve complained about a referee, not all were that unsportsmanlike.
France have lost a couple to injury since the Bok match but I wouldn’t be surprised if they won, Marseille is a stronghold for them.
23 Nov 2009, 14:58 pm
@Nils: Yes Nils, Agree that is what I said a few months back here. That hooter at the Tank is very soft.
Saders never heard it that time as they said so themselves. So maybe Fransie never heard it either. Then there is the score board for players to see.
That hooter at the Tank is still too soft. Even if you sit in the stands you hardly hear it. I hardly heard it when I was watching on tv too. It is a problem and think they should fix it.
23 Nov 2009, 15:01 pm
@Nils:
There are others here too, our Latvian-correspondent incl.
@Puma:
But you know France better than that. France are almost pure-psychology driven as a team. They struggle to get up for Argies or other mid-tier teams like Ire or Wales and yet maifestly reinvent themselves for superior opposition like ABs and Boks. The proof is there in how they recover – invariably if they beat NZ they are flat and lose the next match.
So to say ‘France beat Arg at RWC and therefore…..’ is not the entire story. France ALWAYS get up for NZ/SA & Engl (as their traditional derby-rival). They are their foes and where the glory lies. Which is Frances great strength but also their greatest weakness.
23 Nov 2009, 15:01 pm
@Puma: They have notched it up, during this cc you couldn’t miss it! But then admitedly the stadium was never very full as it is during S14.
23 Nov 2009, 15:04 pm
@katman:
BH has made a similar song’n'dance for the past 12mths about the day the AB B team played Munster. How Munster, depleted themselves, ran the Blacks ragged and showed all the World what patsys the Kiwis really were. And how he laughed and all his willing and many Keo-supporters joined in for a good oldfashioned mocking.
NZ won.
23 Nov 2009, 15:06 pm
@WakaNathan: loads of myths
they do get up for the Argies, the Argies are just strong where they are usually weak – the forwards. France don’t like it when you play tight rugby against them.
NZ usually try to run it around them, France enjoy this and sometimes better them, Wales sometimes beat France in a similar manner. When you open the game up it becomes a lottery.
What’s scary and unusual about France’s win over the Boks was that it was based on forward dominance, they battered a very good Bok pack, this makes me think they could be a genuine World Cup contender next time around.
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