France were playing the current rubble Wobblies, ffs. Yes, they were impressive, meanwhile you would hardly ever see them enjoying such freedom vs real quality opposition, perhaps that’s the reason why they mostly are on receiving end when meeting them.

I agree with you though that France are fantastic when allowed to fly high, pure joy to watch. Whose team’s flying high is the best, depends on taste. I certainly enjoy French flair very much – as much as I enjoyed, say, Paris Test of 2004 when black flair with greenhorn general Carter in charge annihilated them, or Paris Test of 2010 when yellow pups from Down Under did the same.

Nils – don’t you get it? The Tanzanians will beat France they are so up and down … but when they are playing their, it is better than anyone else’s best, including SA, NZ – anyone – the view of Lawrence Dallaglio among many others – that’s the beauty of the their game …

Compare the All Blacks particularly – they are ALWAYS good and anyone wanting to beat has to be at their best; SA and Wallabies achieve that general consistency most of all – and only two sides have ever taken the AB’s over 40 points – France and SA have done it twice each, Wallabies not even close.

You say, France played so now, yes they were very impressive, the problem is would the different opposition let them their merry dance. Remember, Aussies vs them last time – a biblical slaughter, remember the ABs EVERY SINGLE TIME vs them in France since 2004, Frogs have been massacred there.

It’s all relative.

So would the All Blacks have got a clap if they had played that French team playing like they did on Saturday. When they’re like that they will beat the rest of the planet – absolutely brilliant and breathtaking rugby from start to finish – keep in mind the Wallabies were No 2 in the world rankings and they got massacred 33-6 – they played bloody hard but it don’t mean nothing if the Frogs are firing on all five cylinders.

That’s disappointing.

FFS, how bad does a Team have to be to go down?

Likewise, in that case the loser does not lose a smallest bit.

For example, NZ had 92.91 while Scotland 77.97. Adding 3 points to the Scots, we get 80.97. The difference is 11.94.

In England – Fiji case it is even bigger. 83.09 vs 70.60 and Poms get 3 more points, thus making the difference a whopping 15.49 points.

Anyway, the IRB site has it all explained.

Clear front runners.