Beating 'Boks a rhythm thing, says Parra
BAPTISTE PACE
June 10, 2010 - 11:19AM
AFP
If France are to defeat South Africa on Saturday then they will have to manage the rhythm of the game, according to scrum-half Morgan Parra.
The 21-year-old has had a memorable season, being one of the inspirations behind France's Grand Slam and then being an integral part of Clermont's historic victory in the Top 14 final, their first in 11 finals.
However, Parra is keen that his memorable year carries on for the Tests against the Springboks and then Argentina.
He acknowledges that the French will have to be at their best to maintain a winning sequence over South Africa that dates back to June 25, 2005, especially as the hosts warmed-up for the test with a 34-31 victory over Wales in Cardiff last Saturday.
"The key is to match them (the South Africans) in the areas of aggression and combativeness," said Parra.
"They are very good at keeping the ball, and using up time and also gaining the advantage line.
"If we are able to make our presence felt in the tackle and are aggressive in defence, our own game will come into place little by little.
"We saw that during the Six Nations: how we are good at counter-attacking and when we put our game into place we are good," he added.
Parra said the French had to avoid turnovers.
"The Welsh did have a lot of rhythm but they weren't able to keep the ball," said Parra, who moved to Clermont only last summer from Bourgoin.
"That allowed the 'Boks to counter-attack decisively on two occasions. It is imperative to impose this rhythm but also know to use it.
"We will not be able to use up all our box of tricks, but managing the flow of the game and above all keeping the ball under threat of losing 80 metres.
"It will be difficult but we are capable of doing that."
Parra, who proved a more than effective replacement points kicker for Clermont when Australian fly-half Brock James lost his confidence towards the end of the season, said the fact that star Springbok scrum-half Fourie du Preez wasn't playing on Saturday would not change the hosts' style.
"That will not change their tactics one jot," said Parra, scorer of 11 of Clermont's points in their 19-6 win over Perpignan in the Top 14 final.
"The only positive thing for us, is that Ricky Januarie who we faced when we played Ospreys is less of an attacking player, and less unpredictable than du Preez.
"There might be less movement around him but Januarie is also capable of carrying the ball. He is a bit like a pitbull, inverted commas, because he is ... fat."
