Eight years on, same fixture, same location, surely it can't happen again, can it? Well, something needs to change from the the match against Ireland in order for Les Bleus to stand a chance. They were comprehensively beaten by a good Ireland side, and Saint-Andre has a lot on his plate if he is to turn this around.
However, when the French are on the same pitch as the All Blacks, something stirs deep within them and they come out fighting. They need to make the most of every opportunity, Spedding and Michelak need to have their kicking boots on whilst Dusautoir needs to win that ball back as often as possible for France. There is a sprinkling of star quality in the French line-up, Fofana and Dulin notably, but even they lack the skill of the New Zealand backs, and give away a lot of weight and size to their opposite numbers.
New Zealand have every right to be confident going into this game given their recent record against France and the fact that they have the most talented players in the world. However, something just isn't clicking right now. They aren't as impressive as they should be. The side that usually make the game of rugby look so easy are making far too many mistakes, and that was in the easy pool they had. Pushed close by Argentina, the Kiwi fans should probably be a bit more nervous than they are.
The French need a pick performance from the pack if they are to win. An unconvincing New Zealand scrum has to be the target, and from there the French can knock over the points from range, keeping it simple. Expect France to raise their game as usual against the Kiwis, but it has to be said that a clinical Kiwi performance, which we have yet to see this World Cup, would see off the French.
Prediction: New Zealand by 8*
*This was insanely hard to write as, having just moved to France, I would love nothing more than to experience a repeat of the atmosphere in 2007. There is a lot of talk about that fateful match 8 years ago here, and some real optimism, so I will be singing La Marseillaise and cheering "Allez Les Bleus", desperate for that win, but really New Zealand should win, and would be horribly devastated by another loss to the French.
i think All Blacks will win this rugby quarter final comfortably; after french defeat in their last pool match their loopholes were apparently exposed; some say France can again upset all blacks as it did in 2007 but i dont think so becuase the performance shown by new zealand so is very promising and impresive so they should win second quarter fianl against france. Second Quarter Final Zealand (All Blacks) v France live coverage
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ReplyDeleteRegardez RWC 2,015 final Australie v Nouvelle-Zélande au célèbre stade de Twickenham , le samedi 31 Octobre , 2015 au 16:00 BST . Les deux parties ont une grande chance de faire de nouveaux records du monde de rugby ; une équipe qui gagne obtiendrez Webb Ellis titre à trois reprises . Si les All Blacks gagnent , ce sera victoire consécutive pour eux lors de l'événement du monde de rugby de tasse. RWC finale la Nouvelle-Zélande contre l'Australie en direct en ligne ici
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