Enigmatic French always have flair to give foes the blues
DESPITE France’s erratic performances in world rugby, they are always a major force at World Cups. Runners-up in 1987, 1999 and 2011, the French also have the uncanny ability to unsettle the mighty All Blacks at the rugby showcase.
In 1999 France knocked out New Zealand in the semi-finals (43-31) and then in 2007 sent them packing in the quarter-finals (20-18). With their apparent choke-hold over the No 1-ranked team in the world, the French only finished outside the semi-finals once (1991, when they reached the quarterfinals)
The 2015 edition sees France in Pool D alongside Ireland, Canada, Romania and Italy. It should be expected that France will progress to the quarter-finals alongside Ireland, but whether they top the group or not will be a tough call to make as Ireland are sitting near the top of the World Rugby rankings. The stage could be set for another early encounter between France and New Zealand in the knock-outs. The All Blacks should top their group, and if France come second in Pool D they will be hoping for a repeat of 2007.
The French squad boasts a number of star players, none more so than captain Thierry Dusautoir, the hero of their 2011 effort in the final. In the forwards there is plenty of experience with the likes of Nicolas Mas, Guilhem Guirado and Louis Picamoles, while the backline offers mercurial, X-factor players such as Frederic Michalak, Wesley Fofana and South African-born duo Rory Kockott and Scott Spedding
It is hard to predict France’s chances in a tournament such as the World Cup; their form leading up to it has been predominantly poor, but that could matter for very little. Most recently they picked up tight wins against Scotland and England, but only after two heavy defeats to the Red Roses.
In the Six Nations they beat Italy and Scotland, but did not give a very good account of themselves, while back in June 2014 they were humiliated by Australia.
Should France follow their unpredictable pattern and come second in the group to face New Zealand, that game could spark Les Bleus into a run that could go all the way. Knocking out the All Blacks could give them the confidence to ride their French flair to the final, and who knows, even to a maiden title.
It would probably also mean knocking out South Africa and potentially facing England or Ireland again in the final – which is still an arduous path.
It seems improbable, and probably not worth troubling the bookies over, but if there is one team that can cause upsets in a World Cup it is the French. France’s ultimate strength is their “French flair”. No other country at the World Cup can turn it on like them on the day. Runners-up in 2011, they can be described most aptly as having a certain je ne sais quoi – they can string together awe-inspiring play between backs and forwards that sweeps across the field, leaving opponents spell-bound. Another more tangible strength of the French has always been their scrums. France is where front-row forwards go to hone their craft... the care and pride that they take in their scrum shows in their dominance at this set piece. French flair is a double-edged sword for Les Bleus. It means they can rise to any occasion in the toughest situations, but it also means they can be downright apathetic and uninterested more often than not. If you catch France on their good day, they can beat anyone, but on a bad day they can be bested by even an average team. Unfortunately, bad days seem to come more often than not with erratic coaches struggling to keep this band of enigmas motivated. The coaching set-up can also be seen as a weakness. Historically there have been very few coaches who look as if they are fully in control.