That’s 6 different teams New Zealand have lost to in the past 2 years (and 1 month). I’d be curious to know if they’ve ever lost to as many different teams in a similar time period before.
Pumped for the 6N now. France and Ireland in absolutely top nick, England improving and have stumbled on a couple of real players and Wales/Scotland not far away either.
Putting my Ayrton on France mind, ridiculous player pool which they now seem to be using wisely, fitness and discipline weaknesses seem addressed and they have their England/Ireland at home year.
Hmm. France played well, their problem is that they have a few world class players with some relative nobodies still in the squad (a bit like current England tbf)
Think all 5 of the 5 nations as was could win this spring.
England have got the blue teams away, can’t see them winning in Paris and they’ve struggled against Scotland home and away of late.
Agree France are surely favourites. After Ntamack attacked from virtually the dead ball line, they went to the 22, a few phases later had Woki given the pass when he had 2 men outside him, that would have been a try for the ages.
Would have outdone the Jean Luc Sadourny effort in 94, the try from the end of the world. Best ever scored in my view.
https://youtu.be/MJfvfx0titc
Romain’s dad involved in that one, a great dummy by Benazzi and a spectacularly arrogant superfluous pass at the end. France beat New Zealand 2-0, on the way down under they stopped off to play Canada - and in typical Gallic style - lost.
They did score some crackers in that era didn’t they. That one probably better technically as England would have been more defensively organised than NZ I suspect.
They have lurched from brilliantly off the cuff, unpredictable but ill disciplined and vulnerable to pressure (eg by 90s England) to trying to get disciplined and organised but in so doing losing their uniqueness.
Signs are the current side are starting to combine the best of both, which is worrying for the rest of us.
Shaun Edwards sorting out the defence has had an impact, and Galthier brings the joue joue DNA. A promising blend but worrying for their rivals.
they even no longer eat baguettes, pate and cheese, and smoke fags before training.
Read about someone who played in France and apparently it was like that in the late 90s / early 00s. Not sure how true that is but it sounds plausible.
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