The harder I practice, the luckier I seem to get- Jerry Barber
So here we are then. The mother and father of rugby events awaits us. Thankfully we also have the two best teams in the world on current form participating right? Hmm, well maybe not. I would suggest that from the above quote that France must be practicing very hard because they have been very lucky throughout this tournament.
Sure you can put the loss to New Zealand in the pool stages down to one of those typical Gallic days at the office, but losing to Tonga ? Realistically this French team should never be losing to,a spirited but ultimately limited Tongan team.
Admittedly a dynamic 40 minutes guided them past a poor and pedestrian England but that game was still only won by 7 points and the same old flaws crept back up against Wales. France seemed completely devoid of a game plan and just kept kicking the ball back to Wales instead of trying to go through the phases or run them off their feet. That France could easily have lost that game is nearly impossible to believe.
The core of their problem? : Marc Lievremont. From day one 1 I haven't been a fan and even if France manage to pull off one of the greatest shocks in World Cup history I still wont be. It beggars belief the way in which Lievremont criticises and demeans his team to the public. You would surely think that someone who isn't that long out of the game would have a better understanding of his players and appreciate how a modern professional rugby side works.
As well as all that his tinkering just makes no sense, a la dropping Trinh-Duc after about 3 years and the omission of Yannick Jauzion and the graceful if somewhat flaky Clement Poitrenaud. The magical Cedric Heymans would also add so much at full back whilst this would release Medard back to the wing where he is far more comfortable at the moment.
But if France's journey to the final has been a roller coaster of ups and downs, New Zealand's path to the final has been as smooth as a boat ride on a still summers night. They sauntered through their group as if they were training matches and were particularly efficient at putting away an out of sorts Australia who have as good a World cup record against New Zealand as France do.
Therein perhaps lies one weakness in the All Black armoury. Apart from 55minutes against Argentina, New Zealand really haven't been tested at all throughout this world cup. Even without the mercurial Dan Carter, no side has put the All Blacks to the pin of their collar. Indeed the likes of Jerome Kaino, Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith alongside the great warrior that is Richie McCaw have been hugely impressive for the All Blacks although one would certainly be sitting a little closer to the edge of their seat if France were within a score with less than 10 minutes to go.
Having said that I don't think France will have enough to stop New Zealand reaching their proverbial Holy Grail. Undoubtedly they have talent in spades in the form of Harinordoquy, Bonnaire, Dusautoir. However when the head coach is not being adhered to and there is mutiny in the camp, I think France will lack the nous and more importantly the game plan to stop New Zealand in their tracks. Undoubtedly they have been the best team of the last 4 years and if ever a player deserved to lift the Webb Ellis trophy on home soil, it certainly is Richie McCaw.
Prediction: New Zealand by 13
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