New Zealand v France:Interesting. A very interesting selection. If nothing else Bernard Laporte will have made his arch-counterpart Graham Henry think. Amid all the speculation no one had forecast Damien Traille being reconverted into a full-back, whatever about Lionel Beauxis forming a new halfback combination with Jean-Baptiste Elissalde.
Not surprisingly, in this critical moment, Laporte has turned to the old guard of Raphael Ibanez, Pieter de Villiers, Fabien Pelous and Serge Betsen in a pack that has over 450 caps. With Julien Bonnaire also in the back row, the French clearly hope to target the All Blacks' sometimes-wobbly lineout.
The signature selections of Beauxis and Traille clearly indicate France intend playing a kicking game, to begin with at any rate, to play for territory and endeavour to take whatever three-pointers follow, all the more so as Beauxis has such a siege-gun boot. Away from home, Laporte has picked an away side.
It still seems incredible that after four years of planning, Beauxis has had only 65 minutes playing outside Elissalde - and that partially forced by Pierre Mignoni's first-half departure against Georgia last Sunday - and Traille has never been tried at 15. Shades of Cedric Heymans at fullback in the opener against Argentina.
At the early-morning press conference in the team's hotel, attended by 10 television stations and over 50 journalists - only two or three of whom were not French - Laporte and manager Joe Maso engaged in a free-and-easy open forum. When one journalist was berated by TV men at the back for adjusting a tape recorder at the top table, a laughing Laporte quipped, "let's have a fight."
The French coach openly admitted he picked Traille because he has a bigger boot than Clement Poitrenaud, and for the same reason chose Beauxis ahead of Frederic Michalak, which, coupled with Heymans's big left boot, certainly gives France a battery of long-range tactical kickers.
"The All Blacks score a lot of tries through counterattacks and so we cannot afford to miss touch. It is hugely important," he said.
Laporte denied this was a surprise selection: "It's an experienced team and the only player who is playing out of position is Traille, but he has played there before."
Indeed, the Biarritz centre began his career at fullback with Pau and has occasionally played there since. Laporte said he asked Traille if he minded playing at fullback, and Traille said he had no problems with it. But he would say that, wouldn't he? As to why Beauxis had not been given more exposure to Test rugby before now, the coach said the 21-year-old had benefited enormously from starting and masterminding the championship-clinching win over Scotland on March 17th and had also proved his credentials in guiding the French under-21s to World Cup glory last year. "I don't think he will be affected by the pressure," he added.
Apart from the front row, Laporte admitted every selection was difficult and said deliberations took two hours the previous morning. It is clearly a selection designed to spoil the All Blacks at the breakdown, and for good measure Serge Betsen and Thierry Dusautoir are also probably the two best-tackling flankers in France.
As for the apparent resolve to play for early territory and points, Ibanez observed that even these all-singing, all-dancing All Blacks "are not doing anything different in the first 10, 15 minutes".
"They play in the other half, get some pressure and some points," said the captain.
Obviously, France are targeting the All Blacks' psyche, perhaps somewhat frayed by the memory of semi-final and final defeats in the last four World Cups. Ibanez, Pieter de Villiers, Pelous and Betsen are all survivors from the heroic semi-final win over the Lomu-inspired All Blacks of 1999 at the semi-final stage in Twickenham.
"It is there," said Pelous in response to the French media's attempts to reinvoke the spirit of 1999. "It shows it is possible to do this. This is a different day, this is a different team, all is different. But it shows the result can be the same this week. It is possible."
Of the French selection, Pelous smiled and said that just like the All Blacks, France have many options; all the squads in the World Cup have more than one team. "Except for Ireland," one Kiwi wag observed.
"Except for Ireland," responded Pelous, before adding, "I am only joking."
The old guard are unlikely to last the full 80, which could leave a deficit in leadership in the last quarter, but it will be then that the French will unleash a loaded bench.
Dimitri Szarzewski is more mobile and more dynamic than Ibanez; Sebastian Chabal is more effective when introduced as a game loosens up; Imanol Harinordoquy is more a front-foot than back-foot player.
The French media made much of the impact the iconic Chabal might have, and there have been constant references to the tackle that left Ali Williams with a broken jaw last summer in New Zealand. When asked how Williams might feel about renewing battle with Chabal, a grinning Laporte interjected, "Let's get serious; New Zealand are not going to be frightened of Sebastien Chabal." Indeed.
Still, if the French can stay in touch, they certainly have the weaponry on the bench to mug the favourites. All in all, it's not a bad plan, but you feel the damage has been done over the last four years, in terms of a domestic game overpopulated with imports, the inconsistencies of Laporte's selections and, not least, travelling to Cardiff to play the Kiwis now rather than in Paris in the final.
