Les Miserables? Cane refuses to buy into French woes
Ian Foster, assistant coach
Cup triumph, and generating the revenue required to fund the retention of all those fabulous players.
Firstly the 43 players Hansen has in France this week is almost certainly a record. By way of comparison, the 1924-25 Invincibles, who played 32 matches between September of 1924 and February of 1925 on a tour of the United Kingdom, France, Ireland and Canada (and won all of ‘em) had 29; and the 1996 Incomparables, who won the first ever series in South Africa on a tour that featured four tests and four midweek matches, had 36.
Hansen has added the extra players essentially to protect his test squad of 23 whom he wanted to keep as free as possible to focus on the three tests. Some even flew over late after some extra home time. There has been a seriously thought-out plan aimed at allowing these troops to do their team, themselves and their country justice at a time of the year that can feel like the last 5km of a marathon.
To the three tests, NZ Rugby has added the fixture against the Let’s call it a French lesson. You don’t go to the All Blacks looking for sympathy and a kind word in your hour of need. You’re more likely to get short shrift and a flea in your ear.
That was the case here in Paris as some French media came to the All Blacks wondering what they made of the injury crisis that had beset Guy Noves’ team ahead of Sunday’s test at Stade de France.
As if the French rugby side don’t have it bad enough, on a 10-test losing skid against the All Blacks, and having dropped 17 of their last 19 against the No 1 outfit in the world, they have been decimated by injury in the leadup to their first outing of the 2017-18 northern season.
Noves was denied nine players when he named his initial squad of 32 to prepare for the test against the
Barbarians at Twickenham and next Wednesday’s clash against a French XV in Lyon.
Hansen says that’s all about allowing less experienced, potential 2019 World Cup players to experience top rugby. It’s a
All Blacks, plus 14 more for the French XV clash just three days later.
Since then seven more players have been added to the injured list. Hardly auspicious for Les Bleus who haven’t beaten the All Blacks in Paris since 1973.
sound rationale.
But there’s another element not exactly shouted from the rooftops. The two fixtures in London and Lyon are also tipped to swell NZR’s coffers by up to $5 million.
That’s money desperately
All Blacks flanker Sam Cane was asked about the plight of the French outfit who have had to dig so deep they have recalled burly Toulon problem child Mathieu Bastareaud who has never matched his size and personality with anything resembling a substantial body of work in the test arena.
‘‘We’ve been aware there have been a couple of injuries ... Louis Picamoles, how’s he looking?’’ responded Cane, referring to the world-class French No 8 who will there at Stade de France. ‘‘We only have to look back at the last couple of times we’ve played the French over here (a 24-19 victory last year, and a 26-19 one in 2013). Those games went right down to the wire.
‘‘Yeah, they’ve had a couple of injuries, and so have we. It will be
needed, not only to retain players in the face of unprecedented competition from the UK, France, Ireland and Japan; but also to pay the bloated wage bill of Hansen’s squad.
In France alone NZR will have about the players that front come Saturday, and knowing French sides I’ve played and watched, anyone who puts on that blue jersey to face the All Blacks will front.
‘‘We’re not getting sucked into any of this injury carry-on. I know they will come out firing.’’
The French won three of five in the last Six Nations, and were swept by the Springboks in South Africa in June. They have won just seven of 18 since Noves took charge in 2016, and simmering discontent is said to exist between the coach and national president Bernard Laporte.
It is thought that Noves has been told he must win three of his four November ‘‘tests’’, with the twin outings against New Zealand followed by matchups against South Africa and Japan.
to dish out $322,5000 just to pay the base weekly salaries of the 43 assembled players. Bonuses, match payments and other costs will swell that figure further. Multiply that by four (weeks on tour), and you have a fair idea why those additional matches become so important.
All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster said there were positives and negatives of having an enlarged squad. Staff were challenged, logistics stretched and individual teaching became difficult. But having dual XVs with reserves on the sideline allowed much more effective training.
‘‘And there’s plenty of energy round the squad. There are scraps to see who sits where on the bus ... they’re fighting for every bit of food and every seat they can get. That has brought energy to the squad at a good time. We’ve got to make sure we don’t get distracted by the size and stay focused on one task which is the test match.’’
Added experienced flanker Sam Cane: ‘‘The biggest difference is trying to find seats on the bus. The younger boys don’t want to tread too far back. We’ve got a big bus and she’s pretty much all full up.’’
The last word goes to Hansen. ‘‘What we’re trying to do is grow some depth, and we’re doing that. I know for a fact we’ll end up with some quality people and have a good group to select from in 2019.’’
In this case Hansen is betting bigger really is better. And that the payoff will come in 2019.