Napoleonic air of disdain from diminutive Dominici

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby’s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful

What’s happening here?

It’s October 6, 2007 and New Zealand are going spectacularly OTT with their haka drill in an attempt to intimidate France ahead of their World Cup quarter-final at the Millennium Stadium Cardiff. London-born lock Ali Williams is giving it the full tongue out, mad eyes, routine while at least Fijian Joe Rokocoko looks a bit more authentic in his menacing approach. Meanwhile Samoanborn Jerry Collins, a warrior to his boots, seems bored with the hype and theatricality of this particular haka and noticeably takes a step back to distance himself from such nonsense. He becomes a spectator rather than a participant.

What’s the story behind this picture?

Despite hosting RWC2007, defeat against Argentina in their opening game effectively condemned France to second place in their pool and a quarter-final in Cardiff. Initially it seemed like a humiliation but perhaps it was all a blessing in disguise. The hopes of a nation were weighing heavy on their shoulders and Les Bleus had seemed paralysed with nerves in that Pumas game.

Perhaps the neutral venue of Cardiff, where they had won their last four Championship games against Wales, might work in their favourite. It was a happy recent hunting ground and the uncommitted fans would surely cheer for them against the tournament favourites.

The pressure was dialled down just a tad and they also had the encouragement of a much better performance and win against Ireland which clinched their second place in the pool.

There was another dynamic playing out as well. That summer

France had toured New Zealand with an understrength squad shorn of those appearing in the T14 play-offs and got hammered 42-11 and 61-10 in the two Tests. It was carnage for Les Bleus and a national disgrace that needed rectifying. On the other hand, although New Zealand never underestimate any opponents – it’s part of their genius – it is inconceivable that some of those involved in those big victories were not feeling very confident, perhaps over confident, as they approached the Cardiff showdown. Their vociferous and never-knowingly modest fans back home had certainly chalked it up as a big win long before kick-off.

This was also arguably the best and strongest All Blacks side in modern history, based around the team that dismissed the 2005 Lions. However they hadn’t enjoyed a decent hit out in three months since they defeated Australia 26-12 in a Bledisloe Cup game in Auckland. They had waltzed through a soft World Cup pool without breaking sweat, their hardest game being when they put out a mix-and-match XV against Scotland and won ‘only’ 40-0. They were seriously undercooked.

What happened next?

New Zealand froze on the night and got beaten fair and square – 20-18 – by a France team that hung tough and were inspired by the tackling heroics of young flanker Thierrry Dusautoir. The All Blacks took the risk of starting with Dan Carter, whose ankle wasn’t right, and then replacement Nick Evans got injured. They played without poise and purpose and lost the plot completely in the final minutes when, camped on the France line, all they needed was a simple dropped goal. Instead they kept banging on looking for a try, demonstrating zero rugby intelligence and paid the ultimate price.

Defeat was considered a national disaster, coaches Graham Henry and Steve Hansen would surely be sacked and skipper Richie McCaw along with them. That’s what normally happens when the All Blacks pull up short. Ultimately all three escaped with their jobs intact.

Why is the picture iconic?

This image takes you right into the heat of battle in those emotional minutes just before a World Cup quarter-final but what makes it special is surely the look of utter disdain from Christophe Dominici as Williams goes through his antics. You don’t have to be a psychologist or body language expert to know that something is ‘going off ’ here and that Dominici is winning the war of minds.

Williams looks silly, false, out of control. Dominci appears composed and business-like. He refuses to play Williams’ game and studies the All Blacks lock with a cool intellectual detachment. Had the match been at the Stade de France I fancy the 80,000 French crowd would have demanded some kind of emotional response. But we are in Cardiff and something special was afoot.

Dominici adopts an almost

Napoleonic pose of disdain which is rather appropriate as the French wing’s family has strong roots in Corsica where Napoleon grew up. Napoleon, too, was a man of small stature who never took a backward step, who took on the world and won. Well, for most of the time until he tangled with Les Rosbifs.

Further down the line, next to Domnici, Freddie Michalak – usually so emotional like Dominici – is similarly detached, bored even, as he stares Roko down. New Zealand cannot get a reaction out of this France team, the haka is backfiring. Collins realises this, that’s why he has stopped and has backed off. Time to concentrate on the game but, alas for New Zealand, he was in the minority that night.

Footnote. A week later, back in the cauldron of the Stade de France, Les Blues couldn’t repeat the trick against England. They got caught up in the emotion of the moment and lost 14-9 in a semi-final they should probably have won. The poise and focus of Cardiff was gone.