Carter orchestrates French demise
24 Sep 2011
JON CARDINELLI watched Dan Carter and New Zealand make a powerful statement in their 37-17 win over France at Eden Park.
It there was any doubt regarding the quality of this French side, it was dispelled in the minutes leading up to kickoff. The All Blacks delivered a passionate rendition of Kapa O Pango, the haka reserved for New Zealand’s most-respected opponents. The 60 000-strong crowd stood in silence as 22 men in black laid down the challenge as if they were making a promise.
There would be no repeat of the 2007 result in Cardiff. And come the end of this particular fixture, the French would be the ones left physically bruised and emotionally shattered.
Les Bleus responded to the impressive French support in the stands and dominated territory and possession in the first nine minutes. But the hosts managed to absorb that early pressure, and their superior scrum won them the penalty that would allow them to take play back into the French half.
What followed was the most synchronised and polished attacking performance by the All Blacks at this World Cup. New Zealand scored three tries in 12 minutes to establish a commanding 19-0 lead. They hammered the French at the collisions, and their chief decision makers marshalled the big black machine deeper and deeper into enemy territory. When the moment to strike arrived, they finished in style.
France failed to cut down the space of the All Blacks’ inside backs, and were duly punished. Piri Weepu probed at the space around the ruck while Dan Carter attacked the gain line with devastating results. The iconic No 10 showcased his many skills in this fixture, and what would have pleased the coaching staff was his ability to take the space afforded to him and turn it into a try-scoring opportunity.
Tactically, France were no match for New Zealand. Men like Weepu, Carter and Israel Dagg controlled the game through their precise kicking, and the All Blacks’ pack, spearheaded by the centurion Richie McCaw, ensured the backs continued to receive a great attacking platform. Carter also used the grubber to fracture France’s defensive line, and such was his sharp decision making and ability to call on a range of attacking skills that the opposition defence grew increasingly hesitant as the half progressed.
Ma’a Nonu had a stormer as did every other player in the All Blacks’ backline. The No 12 was abrasive and penetrative, and this performance would have solidified his place in the All Blacks’ side ahead of Sonny Bill Williams.
Dagg threatened every time he touched the ball and Richard Kahui’s contribution extended beyond that of a strike runner. Having played much of his rugby at outside centre, he showed his vision on more than one occasion to rush out of the line and make a momentum-stalling tackle. Along with his fellow backs, he took the fight to the French at the point of contact.
To their credit, France managed to compose themselves after conceding those three tries, and ended the half with a Dimitri Yachvilli penalty. The second quarter was marked by improved aggression at the collisions, although they never looked like crossing the All Blacks’ tryline.
That good work was undone when they leaked a try right after the break. Maxime Mermoz scored a runaway try in the 54th minute and Yachvilli kicked a difficult conversion to reduce the substantial deficit, but it would not signal the turning of the tide. While they sustained the forward effort of the second quarter, they struggle to stop the All Blacks’ backs from making metres in the wide channels.
The hosts were not as clinical in the second half, but Carter ensured that they maintained a healthy lead by kicking a penalty and a drop goal. The latter strike took the score to 32-10, and it was also a statement by a flyhalf, and a team, who are not typically associated with the drop goal. Come the play-offs, they will have the option of sinking teams in this manner. The other big teams should take note.
The result should see the All Blacks winning Pool A, but so much more was gained from a big win over an old foe. After delivering some uninspiring and erratic showings during the early stages of the tournament, the All Blacks have finally started to find form. The collective is starting to fire, and their individuals, most notably Carter, are starting to cook.
1,119 Comments
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25 Sep 2011, 22:03 pm
@rugby fan(rugby fan)-1098: Nope, must admit, was looking at Blair, did not notice Contepomi. What a line by his though!? Interesting point, the offside line. Forgot to mention this about the AB’s. The key at the breakdown is to fall in a manner so that you are parralel with your tryline. This ensures that your “last feet” are far closer to the gain line. With this in mind, all teams are trained to aligning their defense line almost on the gain line. The man in the ruck is almost the most important player in defense… Good rugby in theory, but the man lying in the ruck seldom gets his fall right. Now, how often does it happen that refs dont spot this? All the time in this WC at least!
25 Sep 2011, 22:05 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-1099: Happy that day, but a change in the rules at the breakdown since. No change in Rolland’s interpretation. I would love to see the Blacks play against good opposition, with one of the best refs handed the whistle. This will give us a real indication of where they are. At the moment I am not too convinced…
25 Sep 2011, 22:14 pm
@http://www.wineandmore.co.za(www.wineandmore.co.za)-1094:
So you analysed the game, did you actually notice any infringing from the French team. You posts seems to be aimed at the ABs.
Dont the French infringe anymore, they didnt in 2007 and now here again in 2011.
@http://www.wineandmore.co.za(www.wineandmore.co.za)-1097:
Oh Bob Dwyer said so, there we go,no argument there, a known contributor to the hate of the ABs, so he must be right.
25 Sep 2011, 22:15 pm
@bokke bo(bokke bo)-1100: Yes, the ABs will be desperate and we will have to be equally desperate and play against history
25 Sep 2011, 22:24 pm
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-1103: No man, no hate towards tha AB’s. You got it wrong. The French were so poor I can’t even remember them having the ball! Just a BIG FAN of a fair contest. Like I said, the AB’s were by far the best team on the park. I just really hope that they are under no illusions come that latter stages of the tournament. We know the history. Furtermore, no problem with officiating not being totally on par. I just feel sorry for teams not adapting to the refs interpretation. Don’t you get mad when someone enters the ruck from the side and a very promising movement comes to an end? It makes for bad viewing!
25 Sep 2011, 22:30 pm
@http://www.wineandmore.co.za(www.wineandmore.co.za)-1105:
Understand, but you have just posted the same thing that gets said on here constantly after an AB win. But look at the posts when we lost in PE, not one mention on the ref or the ABs infringing, is it just coincidence?
Have a look on here about the ref letting the French try go ahead, even though the ABs had practically set there scrum, quick tap, which was not on the mark and they scored a try, no one mentioned this, again strang dont you think?
But in the same breathe i am like you. A fair even contest is better than an official that cant understand parts of the game, which really the rules can be confusing and a number of players could be pinged at ruck times for anything.
A lottery of the sort.
25 Sep 2011, 22:38 pm
@JL1; In 1937 the Invincibles returned from NZ with a series win. You must know, these guys today are firstly doing it for country. Most of them have their WC medals hanging from their bar, framed on their walls or locked up in a bank safe. What they really want, is to be known as the 2nd Invincibles. The ’81 team was pretty much invincible, but could not withstand the broken glass, flour bombs and lastly the ref. If the ou Bokke can flex their muscles for another 240-320 minutes, maybe they will become Invincible II,
25 Sep 2011, 22:43 pm
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-1106: Well, all South Africans are biased towards the boks, hehe! That is why you will never notice anything bad remarks/comments about the ref when we win. I do include myself, it sort of happens naturally I guess..
But it is nice to watch a game where you only want to enjoy the beauty of the it. Unfortunately bad decisions just stand out so much more! Do yourself a favour, in the next AB’s game, have a close look at McCaw. He usually arrives 2nd or 3rd at the breakdown. Then there is a split second where he make a decision to either compete for the ball on the ground or get himself on the deck to slow it. Also have a look at the opposition players on the edge of the ruck and how much they are being held back and tucked at by the AB’s. Now, this is highly intelligent ruggas by the AB’s, but the danger : If the ref starts noticing this in the semi’s of finals, will the be able to adapt? Cant wait to see! I am out of here. Ciao!
25 Sep 2011, 22:44 pm
@bokke bo(bokke bo)-1107: I agree, they need 3 massive games and will be remembered as the greatest ever
25 Sep 2011, 23:06 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-1093:
Yo f ukpig, it was your Keeeeeweee whinging media who first named this a French B team not any Saffa………………..live with it doos, cause you can’t have it both ways!
They bleated like shagged sheep cause they could not then get “revenge” against the French, cause the fans had been shafted by the French selecting their B sise, and and and, whinge moan whinge moan.
Now all of a sudden, you get on your high horse cause a few Saffa’s also call it a B side
One eyed doos wank er
26 Sep 2011, 00:44 am
@whatever(whatever)-1110:
“who first named….”
it was Peter Bills. He writes for the UK Independent, and is published in the ‘NZ Media’. He is English. From England. And you know this because you read the same article in the same paper (NZ Herald) on the same day that I did.
Tana Umaga – who knows French Rugby better than most people having played and coached there, said it was not a ‘B’ team. He is, also, part of the ‘Kiwi media’, given that self-serving loose definition includes anything published here. I understand this would equate to a ‘balanced viewpoint’, something you should perhaps familiarise yourself with, you sexist racist bottomfeeding-pondlife SCUM.
I tend to agree with Tana. The experimental selection of Parra aside, this was (accounting for injuries to Yachvilli & Picamoles) the same team/matchday-22 that completed the 2011 6Nations.
26 Sep 2011, 01:27 am
@nama1(nama1)-1074:
he;s bladdy good, thought he was a kiwi tho. there;s alot of crookery going on with the kiwis swooping folk in and out of the islands, SA should be allowed to pick pocock, mujati and ngwenya as well..
26 Sep 2011, 01:49 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-1111:
Peter Bills is published regularly in the NZ Herald because he gives NZ a big fat ******* everytime he writes. I think he gets paid by the NZRFU!!
Wynne Gray and his lakkies also blasted it all over the papers about it being a B Team and it was taken up by many other NZ scribes
Funny how you latch onto Tana, but rubbish other ex players when you feel like it or when it serves your own ends
Typical of a hating anti Saffa racist pigdog
Troll of epic proportions………………..
26 Sep 2011, 01:58 am
@whatever(whatever)-1113:
Is that the same Peter Bills who “gives NZ a big fat”, um ‘Whatever’, the same one who wrote an article about the RWC prices in NZ being “a ripoff” ?
And calling the France team a ‘B’ selection is his version of sucking up to his ‘paymasters’ NZRU, is it ?
wow, youre dumber than I thought ever possible. No sh*t. Life in a petri dish, huh.
but, you disgusting sexist racist bottomfeeding-pondlife SCUM, the teamsheet from Saturday with comparison to the France 6Nations team – as Tana referred to – DOES suggest otherwise
doesnt it ?
26 Sep 2011, 02:15 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-1114:
Oh so it was only foreigners calling it a French B side, no whinging from the Kiwi media about NZ fans being ripped off??? mmmmm, maybe you are also selective in the articles you read, hence all the one eyed kuk that eminates from your so-called mouth…………
Nah dude, go look in the mirror and you will find the biggest one eyed racist twat all all time staring back at you………………must make you proud to be such a d ick
You give your people (whoever they maybe, cause I’m not sure you even know) a bad name
Racist troll
26 Sep 2011, 03:08 am
@whatever(whatever)-1115:
youre my little cyber-biyatch, and you know it. How come no reference to the 2011 6Nations team, same squad ? Just lots of fudging, endless fudging.
Thats why you target my family members, because as with all schoolyard bullies the bravery only extends when youre in the company of all your blog-heroes. You’d be Marmite without the teacher there.
26 Sep 2011, 03:27 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-1116:
” You’d be Marmite without the teacher there. ”
LOL damn thats funny.
28 Sep 2011, 20:05 pm
I thoroughly enjoyed comments there during the game. Full gamma of whingeing including. Indeed, where is Barnes when you need him?
Priceless.
Enjoy the rugga, folks.
28 Sep 2011, 21:31 pm
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-209: “But we know how it is. Fair game when you’re on the receiving end.”
So basically you are saying Boks have dealt pretty fairly in recent years, haven’t they?
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