Rugby World Cup - Sep-Oct 2007

[grant]

martin said:

Look out! A pig just flew over my house.

I saw it too, Martin!!

Best wishes
Grant

[Dave]

Only half a pig, guys...

England 12-10 Wooo!!!!

Cheers, Dave

[Stephany]

Woohoooooooooooo! Great job, guys!!
The tension was at its maximum near the end but you played really well and even deserved to score a try. Bravo for reaching the semi-finals. Now I keep my fingers crossed for a France-England but I don't have many hopes for that. We'll see this evening!

Stephany

[Martin]

Who said pigs couldn't fly!

Just fantastic England. It wasn't a pretty game but England's pack destroyed Australia and thoroughly deserved to win.

Come on New Zealand France (sorry Stephany!).

Martin

[Richard]

Hello Stephany!

Here's an article from The Canadian Press. I would expect Canada to be rooting for France.

Odds up against France ahead of World Cup quarter-final with New Zealand

CARDIFF, Wales - The odds just keep stacking up against France ahead of its Rugby World Cup quarter-final with favourite New Zealand.

Although the French are hosting the event, the match is being played miles away in Cardiff because France failed to win its group. Les Tricolores have also had to cope with confusion over which colours to wear, while some of the players' minds have been swayed by French journalists apparently betting against the national team.

"It's been said that a certain amount of journalists bet against us," lock Jerome Thion said Friday. "You can't know how much that motivates us."

Things would have been so much easier if France had just beaten Argentina and won Group D.

But the fact that no plans were made to keep the second-place French at home has irked some players.

"Perhaps we saw ourselves a bit too pretty too soon. The federation shot itself in the foot with that," Thion said. "The fans have not been able to travel like they would like to. It's complicated and it costs a fortune. It's France 2007 (hosting the competition) . . . it's a little bit incomprehensible."

Although France won the toss and so the right to wear its dark blue strip, television companies have been fretting over whether the blue clashes with New Zealand's second strip - which is grey. Now the IRB is scratching its head over whether to make France wear white and let the All Blacks stay in black.

"It's 15 against 15, whether we're in blue, in white or in black," prop Pieter De Villiers said. "However, we won the toss so we should play in the designated colour (blue)."

Meanwhile, French fans began arriving in Cardiff on Friday and are only expected to fill a maximum of 25,000 seats, or just over a third of the Millennium Stadium's capacity.

The players appreciate the effort made by the hardcore supporters and desperately want to give something back.

"Playing an away game while hosting the World Cup is a strange feeling. But if you want to become world champion you have to beat any team on the pitch. The World Cup comes down to that," De Villiers said.

"They will be fired up and passionate fans. The organization (needed) to get planes and to travel over to here was not easy. I really want to thank them for being here. We really want to give them some pleasure."

Amid the background commotion, France must figure out how to beat the world's best team.

Although New Zealand has not won the World Cup since its inauguration in 1987, the All Blacks have been mightily impressive so far, seemingly treating their four group matches as mere practice for the knockout rounds.

"We know we're not the favourites and we're up against the best team in the world," De Villiers said. "We should not put ourselves under too much pressure. Every player is different, some feel the pressure more than others."

Given that France has lost its past seven matches to the All Blacks and not won since November 2000, the pressure is considerable.

"It's the first step to arriving to the supreme title," Thion said. "Everyone has been waiting for this match. We should not get overwhelmed by the occasion."

As if clinging to hope, references to France's victory at the 1999 World Cup semifinal have increased throughout the week. That day, France overturned a 24-10 deficit to run in 33 straight points and stun New Zealand 43-31.

"I think that's another era and it's hard to explain it when you haven't experienced it," De Villiers said. "We have to get ready for war against the best team in the world. (But) there is a fine line between respect and too much respect."

France coach Bernard Laporte made more than one surprising decision when naming his team.

Veteran lock Fabien Pelous was preferred to Lionel Nallet, even though he has been dogged by injury since the Six Nations championship earlier this year.

Thion, who rooms with Nallet, says the player is deeply upset.

"It's true that he has taken it very badly," Thion said. "But I will not allow myself to debate the decision."

Laporte also could not resist tinkering when he picked the inexperienced Lionel Beauxis at fly half and moved standout centre Damien Traille to fullback - a position Traille has not played since his junior days.

That gives France less creativity - No. 10 Frederic Michalak is on the bench - but a stronger kicking game.

Should France win, Laporte will be praised for a tactical masterstroke.

The alternative is that everyone goes home to watch someone else win the World Cup on French soil while Laporte swaps his tracksuit for a pinstriped version for a career in politics as France's Sports Secretary.

"He is a very passionate coach when he believes in something," De Villiers said. "He'll go more than 110 per cent to do it. He sticks to his guns. He's not afraid to go in another direction."

Good luck France!

Richard

[Stephany]

Thanks for the article & support, Richard. Don't worry about me, it's not like I'm not expecting a defeat
I just hope that it will be a good match. May the best win!

Stephany

[Belinda]

stephany said:

Woohoooooooooooo! Great job, guys!!
The tension was at its maximum near the end but you played really well and even deserved to score a try. Bravo for reaching the semi-finals. Now I keep my fingers crossed for a France-England but I don't have many hopes for that. We'll see this evening!

Stephany

and thanks also for your support Martin (Not)
Pork for lunch anyone


To England for your win

Belinda

[Dave]

dave said:

Only half a pig, guys...

England 12-10 Wooo!!!!

Cheers, Dave

Did somebody say pigs can't fly? There goes the other half!

France 20-18 oh my goodness!!!

Dave

[chrisw]

grr

[graemek]

Congrats Stephany,

Vive la France


I taped the match on TV Stephany. Just turned the TV on this morning & saw the French victory.

How are you going to celebrate this Steph. ?

I've got to admit.....I'm shocked.

The game was described as a 2 part game.
NZ held the first half....France the 2nd.

My avatar looks a bit inappropriate.

Graeme
PS and RULE BRITTANNIA too. My country of birth.

[Stephany]

Oh mon dieu (woops, sorry Proboards). Oh dear. My heart is racing at the moment although I feel very sorry (it's true, I mean it!) for all the Kiwis and All Black supporters.

WE DID IT !! WOOOHOO

To answer your question you posted in another topic, Graeme, I was in a bar in Manchester with a few French friends from University when it happened. We met with 20 and more other French fans. There was also two Kiwis and they were both wearing black (of course!). Everyone was going completely crazy near the end of the match. I was so, so stressed during the last 10 minutes and you have no idea how HAPPY we were all when we realized that we had WON. We were jumping up and down for joy, hugging everyone and crying. We proudly sang our National Anthem and our British hosts teased us by singing 'Swing Low, Swing Chariots'. May the best win in semi-final but hey, we won against the All Blacks and now we are back to Paris so everything is possible

MERCI LES BLEUS !!

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Stephany

[James]

stephany said:

There was also two Kiwis and they were both wearing black (of course!).

Stephany

I'm sure it was the wrong colour kit and the fact that their mascot couldn't sing for them before the matches that made the difference to the All Blacks.

What a pair of unbelievable results today - what price on a Scotland victory tomorrow Andrew and David?!

Can England now rely on the support of our Kiwi members for next weekend? (Sorry Stephany)

[Stephany]

Hayley's key role would probably have made the difference. We will never know. I suppose that she missed the match given that she was in a plane on her way back home. In fact, we probably won because Hayley sang in my homecountry the day before the match. I'm sure it helped somehow

I assume that everyone on the forum will be cheering up for England next week (including Hayley!). Those French devils.

Stephany

[Steve H]

Well done FRANCE and Stephany!

Steve H

[thomas]

martin said:

The winners of today's quarters will then meet in the semi-final and you never know it might just be England v France!

Martin, how did you know?

VIVE LA FRANCE!!!!

Stephany, I expect you're very happy! Unfortuneately I couldn't see both matches. I watched only the first half of Australia vs. England.

Toutes mes félicitations, France!!!!

And, of course, as well

Congratulations, England!!!!

But I'm a little sad for NZ. I guess that's not the expected result. Hayley won't like to hear it.

Thomas