France v New Zealand
World Cup Semi-final Eden Park Auckland
When a team loses its biggest game of the season (of the decade?) by a single point, fingers tend to point to certain errors.
In the most dramatic of games imaginable les Bleues came up one point short against the hosts. So their most unenvied record of never appearing in a final remains in place.
There was huge pressure on both teams. The Ferns had to perform in front of a large expectant crowd on a ground where Kiwis simply do not lose. The French had that losing stigma hanging over them.
It seems to me the most crucial few minutes took place when Pauline Bourdon hoisted not one but two of her characteristic box-kicks. Neither regained possession for her side; the second fell into the welcoming arms of Portia Woodman, already motoring forward. A try was the inevitable result.
One thing the French knew pre-match was that any kick they projected towards the Kiwi line had to be accurate to the nearest millimetre. Those two were not. Indeed, several others were produced, in a strategy of territorial occupation close to England’s. Emilie Boulard aimed a magnificent 50-22 down the left that bounced obediently into touch, but even she was guilty of merely handing over (or ‘kicking over’?) hard-won possession.
The Ferns started on the front foot, but a knock-on spoiled things The French, putting multiple phases together, earned a penalty that Caroline Drouin converted. On 22 minutes even better, another raid on the line saw Romane Ménager, fully restored after her head injury, power her way over to quieten the crowd once more.
In this game the French defence was again exemplary. They stopped Kiwi forward drives, held the ball up over their own line and knocked the starry backs down with courage and commitment. On one occasion a dangerous looking Ferns’ raid was actually shepherded into touch.
By half-time the Ferns were looking fate in the face, 10-17 down.
To their credit they came back to establish a narrow lead. As the game drew towards its nerve- shredding close, they found themselves ahead by a single point, 25-24. Tries had been shared out three apiece.
But now the tension screwed up another notch. The TMO confirmed a high tackle by the replacement prop Santo Taumata on Agathe Sochat. Joy Neville showed her yellow.
How many pairs of eyes remained open as Drouin set up a penalty kick away to the right and over 30 metres distant? It screwed left. The Ferns made sure all 80 minutes were up before the ball was belted over the sideline.
The French were distraught beyond measure as the final whistle screeched in their ears.
For the second time in his coaching career Wayne Smith had had to watch as his side win a vital game against the French by a single point – only last time it was the 2011 men’s World Cup final.
Result: France 24 New Zealand 25 Teams:
France
1 Annaëlle Deshayes, 2 Agathe Sochat, 3 Clara Joyeux, 4 Céline Ferer, 5 Madoussou Fall, 6 Gaëlle Hermet (captain), 7 Charlotte Escudéro, 8 Romane Ménager, 9 Pauline Bourdon, 10 Caroline Drouin, 11 Marine Ménager, 12 Gabrielle Vernier, 12 Maëlle Filopon, 14 Joanna Grisez, 15 Emilie Boulard
Bench:
16 Laure Touyé 17 Coco Lindelauf, 18 Assia Khalfaoui, 19 Safi N’Diaye 20 Marjorie Mayans 21 Alex Chambon, 22 Lina Queyroi, 23 Chloé Jacquet
New Zealand
1 Phillipa Love, 2 Georgia Ponsonby, 3 Amy Rule, 4 Maia Roos, 5 Chelsea Bremner, 6 Alana Bremner, 7 Sarah Hirini, 8 Liana Mikaele-Tui, 9 Kendra Cocksedge, 10 Ruahei Demant (captain), 11 Portia Woodman, 12 Theresa Fitzpatrick, 13 Stacey Fluhler, 14 Ruby Tui, 15 Renee Holmes
Bench:
16 Luka Connor, 17 Krystal Murray, 18 Santo Taumata, 19 Joanah Ngan-Woo, 20 Kennedy Simon, 21 Ariana Bayler, 22 Hazel Tubic, 23 Ayesha Leti-I’iga
Officials:
Referee: Joy Neville (IRFU) AR1: Sara Cox (RFU)
AR2: Amber McLachlan (RA) TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU)
Attendance: 22,043 – but way below that for the first match
Notes:
Final: England versus New Zealand
Date :12 November
Venue: Eden Park
Kick-off: 06.30 (GMT)
UK Coverage: ITV
Wayne Smith rejigged his back-line, reinstating Renee Holmes at full-back. This was to reward her performances and make use of her kicking skills, which proved their worth. But it meant Ayesha Leti-I’iga had to be satisfied with a bench place.
The French team was posted way before the other three, showing that Thomas Darracq had no qualms about letting opponents enjoy an early glance at the line-up and reacting to it. He and his colleagues knew that this was the best possible 23, whatever the opposition might want to throw at them.
They had been given a tough run against the English, while the Ferns had motored through to this stage with only one real scare, the opening quarter of the Australia game.
Safi N’Diaye, one of the emblematic figures of French rugby, celebrated her 90th cap in a setting she might have dreamed of. Sadly for her, it offered a yellow card as well.
As the Black Ferns faced the first real challenge to their rugby-playing superiority, some squad members spoke pre-match of their super-powers. For example, Kennedy Simon claimed ‘people feel empowered around me.’
But only the English are allegedly arrogant.
