June 19, 2009
Wellington: France will attempt to become only the sixth team to win a rugby Test series in New Zealand when they take on the All Blacks in the second Test here on Saturday.
France's 27-22 victory in last week's first Test in Dunedin leaves Les Bleus poised to join the 1937 Springboks, 1949 Wallabies, 1971 British Lions, 1986 Wallabies and the French squad of 1994 in beating New Zealand on their home turf.
While the All Blacks have been scrambling in the past week to correct deficiencies highlighted in the first Test, France have been basking in the rare experience of a first-Test win and second-Test favouritism.
"For the All Blacks, it is like a tragedy when you've lost a game - for them and for the country," French assistant coach Emile Ntamack said. "I'm sure the reaction next Saturday will be terrible."
All Blacks coaches Graham Henry, Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen have been forced to defend their team against a barrage of criticism after an inept first performance, partly disguised by a flattering scoreline.
The coaches blamed the performance on injuries, inexperience and a disrupted preparation but public opinion has laid the blame on poor selection and a lack of physical toughness.
France outmuscled New Zealand in the Carisbrook match, setting a rigid defensive line the All Blacks were hard-pressed to breach. The tourists won the scrum battle, worried the All Blacks into errors in possession and gained an upper hand through physicality at the breakdown.
The All Blacks coaches have promised a better performance in Wellington, given four team changes and a longer preparation, but France will also be significantly improved. The tourists have been able to draft in leading players who missed the first Test, and are now confident of a series sweep.
"We want to repeat what we did last week," said rugged forward Sebastien Chabal, who has been promoted from the bench to the starting XV. "We want to win. We are really focused on our game, not on the All Blacks' game. I think that is why we won last Saturday.
"We were really aggressive in the combat area, and that was the key to the game. We know this game will be much more physical than last week's."
