AB's vs France second test thread

[kiakahaaotearoa]

First topic message reminder :

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]

Try time!

[nathan]

Didn't nz knock that on?

[Bathite]

Awesome defence! Awesome try! Terrible from Michalak

[kiakahaaotearoa]

Well that's got to hurt. Amazing defence and then a ridiculous drop goal decision and France pay.

[wales606]

Awful decision for the dg

All Blacks did well to hold on, that could have been a turning point for France

and NZ go all the way themselves

14 point turnaround, the ABs can send Michalak a thank you card

[wales606]

A good flyhalf who want to actually play rugby would make France an awesome team

What happened to the kid who played last week, I thought he was really good.

[HQ matt]

france started the half with some secure lineout takes and drove through the forwards and it worked.

credit the NZ defence but france should have scored from that attack.

[kiakahaaotearoa]

Dagg should've passed it there instead of having another shaky attempt at clearing the line. There were numbers there.

[kiakahaaotearoa]

Botched attempt from Savea but good to see him in space tonight.

[Taylorman]

Ranger to cause some dents...? Thrush debut?

[mystiroakey]

Very good performance this by the Blacks!

Will Les Blues score!

[wales606]

Fofana should be standing at first reciever, he actually makes good decisions with possession unlike Michalak

[wales606]

Fatty Basteroud is on

[wales606]

I'm sure there was more time between the France game and the Lions last week? and they started at the same time this week aswell

[Taylorman]

The AB kicking game has improved big time from last week. Dagg and Cruden have added far more accuracy. AB's can be happy with the progress made in a week which was all about being more accurate. Nothing spectacular bar the try but very solid and hard to combat.

[kiakahaaotearoa]

NZ have left points out there tonight. Given the scoreline it's not been costly but I hope this is drummed into them when they look at the game tonight.

[Taylorman]

They did I agree Kia but theyve also added some efficiency with the yardage they gained from some very good positional kicking, something I think will play a bigger part over the next year or two.

Wow what a finish!!!!

[GloriousEmpire]

Alain Rolland again with his French shirt on trying to find a reason to deny an opposition team points against his beloved France.

[wales606]

What a try!

TMO is checking a pass on the All Blacks line! - Never seen them go back that far before!

It is a try

[GloriousEmpire]

Michalak off with a severely bruised ego

[wales606]

Michalak is off injured, that should improve France's chances next week

[wales606]

Will this be the first time France have failed to score against the All Blacks?

[Taylorman]

Michalak is off injured, that should improve France's chances next week

ha ha...lets hope hes ok then...

[kiakahaaotearoa]

The line was threatened again and what a response. 

NZ's gameplan has been well executed tonight. France have been much better in the second half but their execution has let them down at key times. More often than not with Michalak at 10. If he's selected there again next week, PSA needs to go.

[wales606]

France held scoreless for the first time

[Taylorman]

We sure showed our contempt for drop goals. Michelak had no idea tonight...every option he took turned to custard. This is partly why I think the Lions 10 will struggle in the tests. Sexton will be put under similar pressure- not as heavily admittedly but I don't think the Lions supporters see the potential for Sexton to be harrassed similarly. Whoever the Oz 10 is will be used to that sort of pressure more.

[aucklandlaurie]

Thats how you play test rugby.

[Taylorman]

Agree Laurie, did the kicking for the lines seem better than its...well probably ever been? We didnt need to cart the ball up the paddock anywhere near what we used to and in doing so had time to reform, regroup and go again. I don't like to think creative kicking is necessarily the direction we should be taken but rather we're forced into it.

Thats what stood out for me...Cruden was clearly on a kick for the furthest corner mission, Dagg similarly.

[GloriousEmpire]

France management humiliated by clueless Michalak tonight. The injury will be a blessing in disguise.

[mystiroakey]

france are at an all time low..


Still above wales in the rankings

[aucklandlaurie]

Tayloman
Besides the French kicking being mindless, and wasteful of possession but it was easy to defend against because the chase was poor.

[nganboy]

I didn't think the French were hopeless though. They tried to bring endeavour to the game but the attack was a little too one dimensional. It was a clean but hard match.

[George Carlin]

Want to see the highlight for this - sounds like a hammering.

Is Trinc-Duc injured? Why are they playing Fearless Fred?

Will this kind of thing do anything to persuade French Rugby that there is a link between hammerings like this and the fact that the best 10s playing for French T14 clubs are Wilkinson, James, MacAlister, Hook, Steyn and Sexton?

[Rory_Gallagher]

I thought Lopez looked like the saving grace France need at 10. He controlled the game wonderfully.

[doctor_grey]

After watching I am stunned that France appeared to have so much potential when they actually ran with the ball yest came up with 0.  One of the real strange performances by a team in a long time.  Of course, the ABs had something to do with it.  But looking from a France point of view, they could have done so much more.

For the ABs a decent performance.  But they appear to still not be hitting the high gears yet.

[nganboy]

Well last year we had a decent 1st test poor 2nd test and  turned it on for the third test. So who knows what happens next week - I'm going to the game and hoping for a big one.

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