AB's vs France second test thread

[kiakahaaotearoa]

New Zealand:

15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Aaron Smith
8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Wyatt Crockett

16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Tony Woodcock, 18 Ben Franks, 19 Jeremy Thrush, 20 Victor Vito, 21 Piri Weepu, 22 Beauden Barrett,
23 Rene Ranger

France:

15 Maxime Médard, 14 Adrien Planté, 13 Florian Fritz, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Yoann Huget, 10 Frédéric Michalak, 9 Maxime Machenaud
8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Bernard Le Roux, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Christophe Samson, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski,
1 Thomas Domingo

16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Vincent Debaty, 18 Luc Ducalcon, 19 Sébastien Vahaamahina, 20 Yannnick Nyanga, 21 Brice Dulin, 22 Rémi Talès,
23 Mathieu Bastareaud

* * *


Well Japan has claimed an upset. A France win wouldn't be out of the extraordinary but can the underdog make it two in a row?

[Taylorman]

Savea latches on to a deft Nonu chip...7- 0.

Big win I'm picking here...

[kiakahaaotearoa]

NZ off to a good start with a well judged kick from Nonu to send Savea over. He goes to 13 tries and will do his confidence some good.

[kiakahaaotearoa]

Beat me to it mate. Can the mods please merge my thread into this one please.

[doctor_grey]

Agree.  Based on the first few minutes ABs have all the action.

[doctor_grey]

Taylor, like your observation about the Otago backs.

[kiakahaaotearoa]

Nonu being caught in a couple of big tackles. ABs have created the gaps but not holding onto the ball. Typical dew conditions in Christchurch.

[wales606]

Clumsy from France

New Zealand winning the kicking battle at the moment

[Taylorman]

Yeah its slippery it seems. The home ground for half the side should be an advantage...Aucklanders dont like playing them there...can't see the French liking it any more...

[wales606]

Do New Zealand have the wind at their backs?

France need to stop kicking the ball away

[kiakahaaotearoa]

The French look so good with ball in hand. Why are they kicking everything?

[doctor_grey]

Ahh, a nice exciting kicking-for-territory game..............
I think I now know whether to drink beer to enjoy or coffee to stay awake.  I choose coffee.

[mystiroakey]

Is there a game on!!

Must find my remote control

[mystiroakey]

what was the score in the first test?

[wales606]

Fofana in space and he almost got another try

Awful attempt at the drop goal - just keep the ball in hand!

[mystiroakey]

To be hoenst I want France to bring some point sback to the NH.

Allez le Blues!!

[wales606]

French lineout is awful at the moment

[kiakahaaotearoa]

23 13 I think oakey.

If you're going to cheer them on, at least do it properly. Allez les Bleus! 

[wales606]

Off the post, why on earth were there no French players chasing

and now the All blacks have a kickable penalty

Lazy from france

[kiakahaaotearoa]

But menacing from NZ. They look more fired up in the forwards. Cruden's kicking game seems much improved as well.

[doctor_grey]

Seeing Cruden line up that kick when they focus on his face reminds me of faces I see in zombie horror movies.  I suppose his mother must love him anyway.

[mystiroakey]

 Not a bad score that from the french first up!

[wales606]

Another awful lineout

I have never rated this French hooker, they really miss Servat

[kiakahaaotearoa]

If you sped up the play and put on Benny Hill music, you'd be pretty close to how the French are playing at the moment.

[wales606]

Seeing Cruden line up that kick when they focus on his face reminds me of faces I see in zombie horror movies.  I suppose his mother must love him anyway.

Hahaha, I was thinking that - not quite the composed look of Carter

[mystiroakey]

I can only see a tonking today..

Mon dieu Frenchies . Mon dieu

[wales606]

I can't think of any team that wouldn't love to have Fofana at 12, ABs included

Only in France could they play him on the wing for most of the six nations

Nonu through

[wales606]

Missed kick from Cruden

[kiakahaaotearoa]

Fofana is classy. Picamoles and Dusatoir are world class as well. Would be welcome in the NZ squad. 

Would've preferred to see another scrum there.

[wales606]

You can run the ball into touch under pressure

But you can't run the bal out to end the game/half

Is there a specific law about this, or is it just deliberate over accidental (although running it out is often a deliberate act)

[mystiroakey]

Fofana crushed us in the 6n's

Brilliant player

[wales606]

France do well to hold on

[doctor_grey]

France lucky so far. They look like merde and could be in for a drubbing.

[whocares]

If you sped up the play and put on Benny Hill music, you'd be pretty close to how the French are playing at the moment.

Good summary

ABs must ask themselves questions at HT as A 10 points lead is quite poor against this french team.
Guess conditions dont help them.

[wales606]

Unlucky France there

France were going forward and the All Blacks pulled the maul down and were lying all over the place - not really a held up turnover if you ask me

[kiakahaaotearoa]

Important NZ held them out at the end. I agree who cares 10 0 is not an indication of how the sides have been playing. Dusatoir and Picamoles are working well in tandem. We need a better clear out and too often players are getting isolated in the tackle.

The space is there on the wings but we're getting caught in midfield. A few more kicks in behind or a chip over are required.

[GloriousEmpire]

NZ back row is lacking. Cruden a bit one dimensional.

France slowing the game well and look better ball in hand.

NZ look ordinary in attack without Carter and McCaw.

[doctor_grey]

Strange. Score should be double what it is. France seem hell bent to not run the ball, and the ABs are running inside lines but should be outside more.

[wales606]

All Blacks do look vulnerable without Carter and McCaw

How can France be so awful in the Six nations then go and give the All Blacks a real game

[kiakahaaotearoa]

How can Wales lose against Japan? It happens. 

[whocares]

Hope france sort their line out at HT at least and bring nyanga, tales and kayser.

[Taylorman]

Score should have been higher...missed kick and a clear yellow for shirt pulling on Ben Smith- gave the French crucial seconds while Nonu searched for another.

The French not chasing the kick and allowing Read to run 50 showed a slight lack of commitment.

Picamoles and Dussatoir are classy for sure.

[HQ matt]

i dont understand the french tactics, they keep kicking the ball but seem reluctant to chase and their lineout has been dreadful.

NZ on the other hand have kick into space and chased superbly

[Taylorman]

How can Wales lose against Japan? It happens. 

Remnants of JK?

[kiakahaaotearoa]

Any excuse to get an Auckland reference in there. 

[wales606]

Mistake Michalak misses touch

[wales606]

If France stopped picking Michalak and actually played some rugby rather than kicking everything like it is 2007 they would be a very tough team to beat

[Taylorman]

French looking much more together now...

[kiakahaaotearoa]

Dagg has been a rock under the high ball. I guess he's warranted his inclusion based on that alone because the French keep wanting to test him there. Can't think why.

[wales606]

Fofana at pace is so elusive, he will always break a 1 on 1 tackle

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