Rugby WC 2007: Did Les Bleus Blow It?

The Rugby World Cup 2007 is half way through, but it seems that everyone has already agreed that All Blacks (the nickname of the New Zealand team) is the strongest contender to lift the trophy from the defending champion, England. No doubt, they are now rank #1 in the world. From the four group matches completed in the last three weeks, All Blacks has demonstrated their true class. They prove to be too solid for the other four teams in the group, technically and physically. Their intimidating Haka proves to be effectively too 'frightening' this time.

What about Les Bleus (The French team)? As a host, I have to say the French did not do a good job. Why on earth did they arrange France vs Argentina as the opening match? Didn't they learn that Argentina is one rank above France? Didn't they study the statistics from their previous six matches whereas Argentina won five of them? Or perhaps they were so blindly over confident that their team could overcome the Tango at home.

As everyone has already known, the result was a disaster. The nervous France was humiliated in front of their own public and President! 17-12 for the Puma Argentina! So disastrous that now France has no option but playing NZ in the QF next week.

I say the French blew their best opportunity to advance to the final. It is still not understood why the two best teams in their group would have to meet in the opening match? Learning from FIFA World Cup, usually the two strongest teams in each group face each other in the very last qualification match, hoping to be a decisive one, in order to determine who will finish as the topper of the group. If the French organizers did it just to serve a good level of match in front of the French public and Nicolas Sharkozy, they could have chosen Ireland whose ranking is notably below France. And Les Bleus would have had a better chance of saving their face! Besides, Les Bleus would have had several easier matches in store to play around with their team formation and strategy, cast away their nervious start, before eventually playing their best game against the Argentine. Chances are they might not have been humiliated and they would have topped their group... and they would not have had to play NZ that early.

Anyway, it is now too late for Les Bleus. They will now just need to weather the storm and expect for the worst, because on their last two friendly matches in Paris and Marseille this year, All Blacks mercilessly did not give any chance to Les Bleus. Not to mention, next week they will play in Cardiff (Wales), whilst Argentina will play their QF match in St Denis, Paris. So much for the screw-ups! Say goodbye to their dream best scenario. Bon courage, Les Petits!