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'I think the All Blacks had taken us for clowns': Five France players who haunted New Zealand
France has been a nemesis for the All Blacks in the World Cup achieving famous victories in the 1999 semi-final and the 2007 quarter-final, while the two sides featured in two World Cup finals in 1987 and 2011.
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Fierce and flamboyant talents have helped France foil the All Blacks 11 times in total since 1954.
Here are the five greatest chief destroyers of New Zealand throughout France’s history.
Jean Prat – Putting France on the Map
Flanker Jean Prat was one of the most influential figures in French rugby history.
He played 51 Tests and led France to their first Grand Slam in 1955. Six times he was a winner of the Top 14 with FC Lourdes and he’s a member of the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
His most noteworthy victory was achieved on February 27, 1954, when France beat the All Blacks for the first time at Stade Olympique de Colombes, 3-0.
Expectations of a French victory in Paris were so low that the stadium was far from capacity.
New Zealand spent almost three-quarters of the match inside the French 22, winning 32/42 scrums and double the number of French lineouts, but they were foiled by the tenacious French defense and their own lack of creativity. All of the All Blacks five tries in five international matches in 1953/54 were scored by forwards.
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The winning moment happened in the second half when French flanker Robert Baulon dashed 30m down the touchline to within five meters of the New Zealand line and found Prat.
New Zealand journalist Sir Terry McLean reported, “Though there seemed to be three or four hands holding and clasping Prat, he made a vigorous dive to score.”
The All Blacks lost to Wales on the same tour but the French loss was considered a major shock. It was the last Test for many All Blacks including champion fullback Bob Scott.
France has beaten the All Blacks ten times since, and Wales is still waiting for their next victory over the All Blacks.
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Jean Pierre Rives – Bastille Day Legend
Nicknamed Casque d’Or – Golden Helmet – Rives played 59 Tests for France between 1975 and 1984 and was an inspirational captain in 34 Tests from 1978. He formed a legendary back row with Jean-Claude Skrela and Jean-Pierre Bastiat.
Rivers first featured in a win against the All Blacks 18-13 in Toulouse in 1977. By 1979 he was captain of France on a New Zealand tour.
The first Test against the All Blacks in Christchurch ended in a heavy 23-9 defeat. Further misery was predicated for the second Test when France was turned over 12-11 by Southland.
However, France found inspiration on Bastille Day at Eden Park. Tires to halfback Jerome Gallion, first five Alain Caussade, centre Didier Cordonious, and wing Jean-Luc Averous had France ahead 24-10. The All Blacks rallied but were beaten 24-19 which saw French Commentator Roger Couderc yell, “When we saw this we can die.”
Rives was voted French Rugby Player of the Year three times and Rugby World paid tribute by saying.
“His style was the very essence of what was seen as the typically French mode: gloriously free-spirited, unpredictable, and entertaining. He only wanted to drive a maul to one place – right out of the game. As he told the Irish Independent in an interview last year: “The ball is the star. People want to see the ball. Kids want to see it being passed.”
Jean-Luc Sadourny – ‘Try from the End of the World.’
Jean-Luc Sadourny played 71 Tests for France between 1991 and 2001 and beat the All Blacks four times in six Tests.
He was nicknamed The Old Woman (La Vieille) and he is generally considered one of the best French players of his generation, a fair successor to Serge Blanco at fullback.
The ‘Try from the End of the World’ was in 1994, the last time the All Blacks were beaten at Eden Park.
Down 20-16, France launched an audacious attack from their own 22 which won them the series having beaten the All Blacks 22-8 in the first Test in Christchurch. Sadourny kicked a drop goal.
Speaking to Allblacks.com in 2009, Sadourny reflected upon the series by saying.
“In Christchurch, we were revved up by (Philippe) Sella’s one-hundredth selection.
“We played with a lot of conviction I think the All Blacks had taken us for clowns a little and thought that we would be beaten in the physical engagement.
“The second test was a little more complicated. The All Blacks were hungry for revenge, and we were a little annoyed we were just being considered as an aperitif before the main course that was South Africa.”
On his winning try in Auckland, he said:
“Christophe Deylaud found a gap and passed to Abdel Benazzi. Benazzi, who had a habit of messing up nine out of 10 passes, somehow got the ball away to Emile Ntamack.
“He then cut inside and passed to Guy Accocebery who could have gone all the way but with the All Black cover in proximity, he passed to me just a few metres out.
“All I had to do was score. It really was a great try and symbolic of the free-spirited nature of the team. We really were a band of brothers.”
Less remembered is a try Sadourny scored the following year in a 22-15 win by France in Toulouse. The All Blacks could only muster five penalties by Simon Culhane.
Sadourny missed selection for the 1999 World Cup but was recalled in 2000 and helped France beat the All Blacks 42-33 in Marseilles.
Christophe Lamaison – The 1999 Semi-Final Wizard
Christophe Lamaison was a cornerstone of the 1997 and 1998 French teams that won a Five Nations Grand Slam at centre.
By 1999 he’d transferred to first-five when he played the first of his four Tests against the All Blacks in Wellington in June. It was a disaster. France lost 54-7 in the last international at Athletic Park.
Three months later, in the World Cup semi-final, Lamaison scored 28 points (1 try, 4 conversions, 3 penalties, 2 drop goals) as France shockingly eliminated New Zealand from the tournament.
France was down 24-10 at halftime, following two tries to Jonah Lomu, but New Zealand had no answer to the French onslaught in the second half. A deft chip by Lamaison for centre Richard Dourthe, when it was 29-24 to France, sealed the All Blacks’ fate.
The next year, Lamaison started a two-Test series. He scored 16 points in a 39-26 defeat in Paris. In Marseille he was even better, amassing 27 points (3 conversions, 5 penalties, 2 drop goals) in a 42-33 win.
Thierry Dusautoir – Tackling Machine Stops All Blacks in Cardiff
It’s a tribute to the influence of Dusautoir he was officially named man of the match in the 2011 World Cup final that France narrowly lost 8-7 to the All Blacks at Eden Park.
Dusautoir scored a try early in the second half which amplified an already tense encounter dominated by defence. Dusautoir made 22 tackles.
Four years earlier Dusautoir was even more damaging against the All Blacks in the infamous 20-18 World Cup quarter-final win in Cardiff. He scored a try and made a World Cup record 38 tackles (two more than the entire All Blacks side) in a single game.
He lowered opposite Richie McCaw eight times, Mils Muliaina four times, Byron Kelleher, Dan Carter, Tony Woodcock and Sitiveni Sivivatu three each, Joe Rokocoko, Anton Oliver, Rodney So’oialo, Jerry Collins, Chris Jack twice and Keith Robinson, Andrew Hore, Brendon Leonard, Ali Williams, and Isaia Toeava once.
Capped 80 times, Dusautoir also started a 27-22 French victory against the All Blacks in 2009 in Dunedin. That Test is best remembered for a 60m intercept try scored by French fullback Maxime Medard.
Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
31 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
31 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
31 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
31 Go to comments