Rugby - France New Zealand

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What a game... who needs rugby 7s when the first scrum came 19 minutes into the game!...

France got 55% of territory and ball possession against 45% for New Zealand... but New Zealand won 8-7...

Both teams defended very well, except in two occasions... when they both scored! No doubt we will see next year on the fields the set play in the alignment that brought NZ only try! The prop left the front of the line and ran to the middle of the line-out, the lock deflected the ball to him and he ran to the goal line 5m away with the whole French team waiting at the back of the line-out... I am not sure where was French number 9 who could have done the first tackle...

New Zealand number 9, Haka leader and scrum half, missed three set kicks in the first half. He was probably destabilised by the French team answer to the Haka...! He was replaced half way through the second half when his engagement kick went straight into touch... enough was enough, not his day...

Both teams fly-halves number 10 were out for injury before the half time. So when France also changed their scrum half in the second time, both teams were playing with replacement players for positions 9-10... Of course the same final with Dan Carter would have probably been different, but a game is a game...

PS: The referee was right to warn verbally NZ  teamthrough their captain... a shame for France that none of these verbal was whistled as penalty, outside the 22m of NZ... a game is a game...

Rugby won for sure, a nice flowing game from both teams, with very few penalties or even verbal warnings...
France demonstrated again that nobody can predict how well or how bad they will play, but they certainly deserve the number 2 world ranking they might get after this game! If you live in Europe, do not miss next year France Wales or France Ireland, plus Wales Ireland, and of course all the games of England which will no doubt want to rebuild immediately in view of the 2015 rugby world cup in England!

Due to the immense demand (my son, and... let me think...) I will keep this blog open for rugby news in the Village and comments.