Congratulations France

[Hugh Jarse]

Guilty as charged.

Like most of the rugby world, we had written you off before this game.

Goodness knows, you gave us every justification with your performances to date in the Cup.

You saved the best to last and made the Final a true spectacle with your efforts.

And you sent a warning to the rugby world, that anyone who turns up wanting to win, can win. Reputations count for nothing once the man in the middle blows the whistle.

 

[Swat]

word.

 

[cyclopath]

I was supporting NZ, so I'm glad they won.
BUT - had France won on the back of that, I would have tipped my hat to them. Superb effort from them to say "We deserve to be here".
I doubt any team but NZ would have stopped them on that performance, so they can hold their heads up and say "stuff you all, we're good enough".
Great match as a neutral, would have hated to be supporting one of the teams in earnest!

 

[Richo]

Great stuff from France. They played with enough heart that I was kinda hoping they won at the end there -- and if you'd told me that would be the case at the start of the match I'd have laughed at you.

 

[aussie1st]

Not surprised as the French always seem to get up and as they showed in this tournament they lift after everyone has written them off. They may not have deserved to be there but they probably are the only team that could have given us that final.

 

[nugget]

Awesome response to the haka too, reckon that threw the AB's from the start. Especially piri, could see his eyes going wtf when they did it.

 

[Bowside]

France doing what we should have done. Played with pride, passion and execution.

 

[QuadeCooperFan]

its amazing that they are the only team during the whole world cup to stand up to the All Blacks. Right from when they marched towards the Haka I knew something was brewing.

Well done France and especially Dusautoir

 

[ACT Crusader]

Commiserations to France. They looked absolutely gutted at the final whistle. The great thing about WC playoff matches is that the form book means nothing, you just come to do whatever it takes to win and I was under no illusion that France wouldn't approach the game to take Bill back to Paris. I was frankly gobsmacked by some of the pre-game predictions

Their defence was fantastic, they pressured the AB forwards and made the most of a scrappy situation to get their try. Full of running in the 2nd half, which would have buoyed their fans, as their attacking formation in the 1st 40 was very disorganized.

The Deuce and Hairy Donkey were into everything. Scrum much improved in the 2nd half, when I thought in the 1st half the ABs had the slight ascendency. But very dominant in the 2nd by the French pack.

Well done to France for an amazing battle and well led by their captain.

 

[Dam0]

They were awesome. Took it to us all the way. Thought minutes 50-70 was one of the most intense displays of ferocious rugby I have ever seen.

 

[badabing59]

Well played France! Fantastic game! Watched from edge of seat for entire game, as did most kiwis I'm sure. Glad you were spurred on by the negative media, as you produced one of the best finals, imho.

 

[Blob]

I was not surprised in the least by their performance. They are unbelievable. Magnificent.

 

[Athilnaur]

Riveting game, staggered how well France played. Best game of the tournament for me.

 

[Bon]

Awesome response to the haka too, reckon that threw the AB's from the start. Especially piri, could see his eyes going wtf when they did it.

Rubbish! There is nothing better when performing a Haka on the field than to have the opposing team respond in some manner. The whole respect thing has become a bit precious. I say that both teams should remain on their own side of halfway, but anything goes.

 

[WhoDaresWin]

I doubt any team but NZ would have stopped them on that performance...

My exact thoughts. But that's the beauty of French rugby, complete utter shit one week to world beaters the next.

Cheers for fronting up and giving us one of the best spectacle of 2011 RWC.

 

[Bardon]

Well done to France they really gave it there all. Thought the match was a reminder that you don't need 7s type try counts for a match to be entertaining.

 

[Dan54]

Yep French were terrific, boy did they play with passion, they left nothing out there. For all the critics that rubbished them, I think in the end they showed they truly deserved to be in the finals.. Now if the french will just tell me where to send bill for getting my heard restarted I will be happy.

 

[FANATIC]

Henry certainly said it best.

"This French team, we're not sure who's going to turn up, quite frankly," said Henry. "So we've got to prepare that they're going to be the best in the world. They've certainly got the individuals to do that, it's just whether they can produce that as a side. All the word is that they've prepared well and they're very focused and they're enjoying the underdog tag.

"They feel that they're not being considered in this final by a lot of people. We don't think that. We think they're a very good rugby team."

 

[Jnor]

I was (and still am) a bit confused about who I wanted to win that game. The whole time I've said I'll support NZ because I respect the way they play the game and they have been far and away the best side in the world over the last four years.

But last night France went out there as ridiculous underdogs and played with all the Gallic cliches - verve, passion, and a bit of craziness that I couldn't help but yell for them. To do what they did with a squad in such disarray and after being written off by everyone I have huge respect for.

Very well played Les Bleus.

 

[twenty seven]

One of the members of the family kept saying that France were down playing their hand and doing enough to get through. Reckoned that their big game was still to come. We scoffed and are now bowing to their greater knowledge!