Dirty French to target McCaw’s foot
22 Oct 2011
France will employ underhanded tactics on Sunday in order to eliminate Richie McCaw and ultimately bring the All Blacks down.
According to Fairfax Media, France defence coach Dave Ellis has made it clear that the Tricolores will resort to some old-fashioned skullduggery in Sunday’s final.
The French know that McCaw has been battling with a foot injury over the past 12 months, and believe that the All Blacks will struggle without their captain. Ellis said that it’s an ugly but simple equation, take out McCaw, and you will take down the All Blacks.
‘McCaw is major player. Somebody will stand on his foot, no doubt,’ said Ellis.
Many have anticipated such tactics, with former All Black Buck Shelford writing in The New Zealand Herald on Friday that the French would come into this fixture with a dirty attitude in an attempt to unsettle the host team. Referee Craig Joubert will have his work cut out for him in a game where everything is on the line, as one instant of foul play could lead to a card and possibly decide the contest.
On the tactic to target McCaw’s foot, Ellis revealed that it was a ploy of the French to attack New Zealand’s key players, and that they had done so before.
Ellis said that the All Blacks crumbled in the 2007 World Cup quarter-final when Dan Carter left the field. Carter had been carrying a calf injury at the time, and Ellis suggested the French had something to do with his premature exit in that game. Ellis also pointed out that New Zealand were vulnerable without McCaw and Carter when France played and beat the All Blacks in Dunedin in 2009.
‘That was one of the major factors in 2007 when we managed to make him [Carter] leave the field with injury. That was the turning point. He wasn’t there in 2009 and neither was McCaw.
‘There’s other key players that if we can get to and influence, that’ll have a knock-on effect. Some of them are their experienced players.’
Meanwhile, France prop Nicolas Mas has hit back at those calling his side a dirty team. Mas maintains that the All Blacks are also capable of some underhanded tactics.
‘They are not angels, either. But that is the way the game is played. It is normal that games are aggressive,’ he told The Telegraph.
‘Two teams want to win and they will do everything in their power to win, and that’s aggression and passion. You can’t mix the two up. It is a complex sport and there will be a huge amount of passion involved.’
64 Comments
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22 Oct 2011, 16:40 pm
@cane(cane)-46: I would be too. Why does NZ deserve any more respect than they get? I would have used any advantage possible.
22 Oct 2011, 16:45 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-51: Again I have to agree with you.Slowly changing my sentiments for the final.
22 Oct 2011, 16:54 pm
@optiplay(optiplay)-52: NZ are already playing at home, they have every advantage already and then France go and gift them the black jersey even after they fairly and squarely won the coin toss? On what possible basis?
Amateur decision.
22 Oct 2011, 16:56 pm
Loser Alert!!
22 Oct 2011, 22:53 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-54:
heh heh heh
22 Oct 2011, 23:00 pm
@optiplay(optiplay)-50:
Cant you read ?!
” France defence coach Dave Ellis said “we managed to make him [Carter] leave the field with injury. That was the turning point. He wasn’t there in 2009 and neither was McCaw.
‘There’s other key players that if we can get to and influence, that’ll have a knock-on effect. Some of them are their experienced players.”.
I think you’ll find these are quotes, NOT local media interpretations.
22 Oct 2011, 23:02 pm
U kiwis must be champing at the bit. hou poepal hou as we say here, good luck and be merciful if you get the bragging rights
23 Oct 2011, 00:13 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-56: Hhmmnnn!! I can read . Can you?(see no 49)Any opinion on how SBW ,Brad Thorn and Ben Franks plays.Any opinion on the O’Driscoll incident.This article makes the French sound like a bunch of thugs.And you ride that.Yet no comment on your own dirty play.( Or your buddies the Samoans.)That is just hard rugby. Come -on…See both sides.
Good luck with the final however. Your team deserves that.(not the majority of the bloggers on this site though)
23 Oct 2011, 02:48 am
@optiplay(optiplay)-58:
Q U O T E S
on a STH AFRICAN website
R E A D
23 Oct 2011, 04:24 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-59: Again . You cannot read. My comment was for Buck Shelford who had a column in “The New Zealand Herald”Hardly a SA newspaper.(I also realize that he will not read my comment.)But you do not get the point. And again you cannot answer my questions. You must be in politics.But enough. Go and enjoy your teams victory.Cheers BP.
23 Oct 2011, 06:06 am
Go Froggs!!!
23 Oct 2011, 06:15 am
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-61:
Gerber go !!!!!!!…………………………………………….home.
23 Oct 2011, 06:15 am
The French could guillotine Ritchies foot from his leg if they want and he would still finish this game and raise the Cup above his head later today.
Speaking of a sense of entitlement I get the distinct feeling from the ‘Bryce cost us the cup brigade’ that you guys honestly believe you would have beaten us last week. Think about the rugby aspect of that assertion and honestly tell me you really believe that.
23 Oct 2011, 06:31 am
l @wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-53:
Coin Toss didn’t eventuate. Maso conceeded before toss.
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