French scraps for SA test
16 Mar 2006
France, a match away from winning the Six Nations, will send a second string squad to South Africa for the one-off test in June.
French coach Bernard Laporte said that several players would be rested ahead of the 2007 World Cup — and that fringe players would be included for the tests against Romania and the Boks in Cape Town on June 24.
“Certain players will be rested in June as our priority will be to try out other players in certain positions,” said Laporte. “We are taking into consideration the number of matches played during the season. We will hold back potential candidates for the
World Cup.”
The French play Romania in Bucharest on June 17.
33 Comments
16 Mar 2006, 18:01 pm
Then we should simply refuse to play them.
We are not paying second rate prices, we will be paying test prices.
16 Mar 2006, 18:22 pm
Stan
Its an opportunity for us to do the same. Dont think about the entertainment, think about developing a Bok squad capable of delivering the World Cup. Our match 22 is not enough. We should field a similar team.
16 Mar 2006, 18:31 pm
cancel the series, there’s no point in playing their 2nd stringers, we’re better than their best in any case, just were stupid in Paris.
16 Mar 2006, 18:37 pm
cabbie,
Ek stem. Dis n toets tussen 2 groot rugby lande en as hulle wil eksperimenteer, maak dit n SA A teen Frankryk A.
Diesel, dis nasionale trots vir my.
16 Mar 2006, 18:48 pm
yip Stan agree, if its a test, it must be played as a test, the best players in any country at any time, otherwise call it the “A” or “Probable” or something, but no test status.
16 Mar 2006, 19:03 pm
One test vs the prospects of doing well at the World Cup. Is it not short sighted to insist that every test be a case of win or die? we playin our boys into the ground and the same boys over and again. What if we get hit by the injury crisis the Wobblies experienced last year?
16 Mar 2006, 19:09 pm
Dieselboys,
no, tests are just as important as the world cup, i dont subscribe to the idea that the world cup is the be-all, it is important but a relatively new comp, test matches remain the ultimate test and why NZ are the best team in world rugby.
If you want to peak for the RWC, players should be pulled from S14 duty or the no of tests reduced.
However IMO a test match should remain just that, the ultimate test.
16 Mar 2006, 19:15 pm
Cab
Strong argument. But test matches are a dime in a dozen these days. Retaining the World Cup is where the real bragging rights are, just look how we still go on about ’95. But I would concede the point that winning tests consistently and the number one spot in the world rankings is equally as important.
16 Mar 2006, 19:21 pm
yes, test matches have lost there aura a bit, its unfortunate, but IMO the recent test matches played against the AB’s were huge, they basically determined who should be considered the best team in the world.
16 Mar 2006, 19:23 pm
It cant be a bad thing a good solid win and it builds confidence. Knock them over.
Problem is if they perform against a first team your in KAK lol
16 Mar 2006, 19:48 pm
The reality is that it will be a slightly weaker team. The French have depth in personel. Im not saying we should take them lightly. WLS I agree, we should always go for as big a win as possible. But maybe rest guys like OS, Percy, Schalla, Bakkies, Matfield etc. Let the guys on the fringes, who are already in the Bok setup have a start. I dont think the quality of play will drop that much. All these guys compete in the Super 14 and the Zurich championship.
16 Mar 2006, 20:43 pm
Wen Hulle Hane
Die Boere moet meer Coloureds in SIT!!!en waar is die *******?
17 Mar 2006, 02:23 am
If SA risk fielding a B-team/development team against what looks like France B, it could well end up with SA losing a home test match. That means going down in the IRB ratings.
But France’s attitude shows a clear lack of respect towards the Bok jersey and tradition. Remember that respect is earned, not claimed as a right.
17 Mar 2006, 03:27 am
For all those hotheads above crying foul over the French coach’s remarks:
Have you forgotten the French tests played in Durban and PE last year (2005)? Look at those squads again. The Boks almost played two different teams and guess what…the Boks only managed a DRAW in Durban against the team that EXCLUDED a lot of the 1st choice players (as many of them played the previous weekend in the French comp. final). The French have depth. Maybe even more so than the Boks.
For heaven’s sake think a little.
17 Mar 2006, 05:36 am
The French are playing us like *******.
Last year they did the same thing in PE and we thought we were good enough.
Then we go and lose to them in Paris.
Now they are doing the same thing.
I dont see the value of this test.We can correctly asses ourselves by only playing against the best of best.
Lets stick to playing more TN.
17 Mar 2006, 06:00 am
Yes very clever Anvil. Let’s restrict ourselves to playing only two teams. I mean it’s not as if the Frenchies play a different style of rugby right? What on earth could the Boks learn from playing teams other than NZ&OZ. Very clever indeed.
17 Mar 2006, 06:04 am
Dingman, spot on! We could only manage a draw against their b team last year, why complain now?
17 Mar 2006, 06:08 am
It really does not matter Dingman.As Laporte would only want to experiment with the fringe players.
We wont be learning anything new.
Instead why not focus on beating the ABs away from home ?? .Something we have not been able to do.The Aussies too are looking good with the return of Mortlock,Larkham and a host of other players.
IMHO playing that bunch is better than wasting time playing a second string,under strength froggies.
But then again how the hell can we expect them to respect us when we go and lose against their first team hey ?
Beating the ABs and England this year should be our top priorities.
17 Mar 2006, 06:45 am
The French second team will be strong , just like last year when thet allmost won against the Boks in SA. Even the Boks can pick a B team that will be very stong and be able to mwon international matches. For example
15. Roets
14. Chavanga
13. JP Nel
12. Olivier
11. Nokwe
10. Hougaard
9. Pienaar/Conradie
8. Cronje
7. Wannenburg
6. Gerhard Vosloo
5. Andries Bekker
4. Danie Rossouw
3. Bands/BJ Botha
2. Schalk Brits/Gary Botha
1. Wiam du Preez/Danie Thiart
17 Mar 2006, 06:50 am
“Retaining the World Cup is where the real bragging rights are, just look how we still go on about ‘95.”
Well, then you also have to bow the knee to the REIGNING world champions, England, whom the Boks have incidentally never beaten so far this century.
17 Mar 2006, 06:59 am
French rugby approaches tests in a fundamentally different way from the way SA or NZ does. The French genuinely don’t mind losing test matches along the way as long as they win the rubber (or the silverware) at the end. Historically they are in a deep deficit against most top teams, so there is nothing to be gained by fretting over every test.
SA and NZ and, to an increasing extent, England pay great heed to the historical record. Losing ANY test is unthinkable. These sides want to win every test they play, and their fans expect it.
By and large, the All Blacks deliver the goods. The fans get very dirty when they don’t. The Boks have grown just a little too accustomed to losing, and now tend to trumpet their dwindling achievements to something larger than life and simultaneously ignore the growing setbacks as less relevant than they would otherwise ought to be.
17 Mar 2006, 07:06 am
Tackler,
To win the WC, SA needs to beat France and/or the All Blacks. I do not think that jake White is the best coach to win a WC in Eorope with its difficulut conditions. Would have prefereed Rassie or Heynele Meyer. What you need is Europe is for your forwards to dominate. White prefer dancing forwards like Big Joe and running flyhalves like Jaco. It is not going to work for him.
17 Mar 2006, 08:01 am
Check there 2nd stringers beat us !!!!!
Jake white please select the best players
17 Mar 2006, 10:52 am
Guys, it is the end-of-season for France in June.
Just like the ABs and the Aussies rest some of their top-players in the Nov tests, the French will do the same. Only the Boks seem to ignore the fact that dragging your best 22 to every corner of the globe is not the best method.
The French will not play their second stringers. The article clearly states that “certain players will be rested in June…”.
Just like the Crusaders vs. the Cats which just took place, everyone said the ‘Saders were fielding their second stringers but at the end of the day, all their ABs played, with the only difference being that Mcaw & Jack started from the bench!
The French test will be the same and we should learn from them.
17 Mar 2006, 10:59 am
Our 2nd stringers would give their 2nd stringers a good go, fine to play that sort of game and it should be really interesting for JW, but it should not qualify as a “TEST”, unless both sides pick their best players. Simple really.
17 Mar 2006, 11:16 am
Please our 2nd stringers would give them a slap:
1. Thiart 2. Botha/Brits 3. BJ
4. Rossouw 5. Becker
6. Baywatch 7. Wickus 8. AJ
9. Pienaar 10. Jaco
11. Snyman 14. Chavaga
12. Barry 13. Nel/Joubert
15. Roedts
17 Mar 2006, 11:33 am
“Tackler, to win the WC, SA needs to beat France and/or the All Blacks.”
False.
There are far MORE hurdles to overome en route to World Cup triumph.
England.
Australia.
Wales.
Ireland.
Argentina.
and so on….
17 Mar 2006, 12:03 pm
France is working towards a world cup win. They are doing the right thing by resting their players. No use going to SA with tired players and loosing anyway. Laporte is right. Watch out for the French at the world cup. Rugby is growing here.
17 Mar 2006, 12:33 pm
Tackler i must admit that your comments at 6:59 started off pretty well and you actually sounded like you knew something about rugby. However you then go into your familiar boring SA bashing, when all reason flew out the window. The last I saw SA were actually 2nd in the world dumbass!!!
18 Mar 2006, 00:37 am
Does second actually matter? Runner-up? Briodesmaid?
Only FIRST counts.
Everyone knows that.
18 Mar 2006, 08:54 am
Tackler
I’ll bend that knee as long as you aren’t behind me!
19 Mar 2006, 19:58 pm
Good,then give them a fkn kick in.
Put a ton on them.
21 Mar 2006, 07:08 am
i dont gave a flying KAK which froggies our boys smash…i just dont want to see our undefeated home status under jake white go down.
Playing a test match for your country is the ultimate honour, and in theory jerseys shouldnt b handed out like hot cakes.but in the demanding era of pro rugby, it might just be a half decent idea to blood some young talent and look to the big goal of bringing home the world cup…it would give us the depth that we so desparately want, not to mention need. Just look at the all blacks in 2003, they lost umaga in the first match…now imagine if we were to lose a habana or a matfield…if we dont develop our depth now we will b in all sorts of **** come world cup time where the attrition levels can be quite high. and it is also quite clear that we have some talented players who need the development wich will only come with test experience ala baywatch wikus roets etc
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