Best current player: Antoine Dupont (Scrum half/9). Arguably the best player in the world at the moment. Best player of all time: Serge Blanco (full back/15, active in the 1980s and early 90s) France were consistently one of the best sides in the Northern Hemisphere from the 1960s up to 2010s. The 2010s were a poor decade for French international rugby although their domestic league is the richest in the world with billionaire backers and a huge influx of foreign talent (basically rugby's equivalent of the Premier League). However they've had a generation of players emerge in the last couple of years that look set to be title challengers at the Rugby World Cup in 2023. On that note, they have made the RWC final on 3 occasions (87, 99, 11) but are yet to win the tournament. They have also been considered something of a "boogie" team of New Zealand's, with more than few surprise wins in key match's (RWC Quarter final 07, RWC Semi final 99) and are the last side to have beaten NZ at their true home ground at Eden Park (Auckland) in 1994. One of the featured clips, "the try from the end of the world", comes from that win. New Zealand have lost home fixtures at other venues in New Zealand since but not at Eden Park.
I watched the 2 defeats in final against All Blacks but the one I remember the most was in 2011. The New Zealand press was truly awful, the French players took it wrong. That's why they faced the haka this way, and because of the last opposition between the teams in worl cup. The game was tough, epic. We lost by one point but we saw fear and respect in the eyes of the All Blacks. That was intense. I don't want to seem jealous or bitter but it's what rugby is about. Opposition
French rugby,great for flair,champagne rugby,I love it.I also love a French punch up from one of their league matches,great stuff.Finally,the other wonderful French tradition,travelling to the British Isles with a wonderfully talented team and losing it because they don't like it up.Footnote,also famous back in the good old days as the ideal time to pull a hamstring was just before a spring match in Paris and never,never,never find yourself at the bottom of a ruck and nearish to the ball.
For the best French players of all time, there's plenty to choose from but I'd say my favourite would be Serge Blanco. Sadly he's from many years ago and any videos aren't likely to be high quality, but you saw one of his many tries in that selection. That first try, by the way, is known as "The Try From the End of the World". New Zealand don't lose many series at home to touring sides, but the French had won the first match and this was late in the second with New Zealand ahead. New Zealand kicked the deep into the French half probably assuming that they wouldn't go the length of the field and score and they could hold on for a tied series. I remember them scoring one against England where they started from behind their own try line, and there's a lot of videos of French tries over the years on RU-vid that might be worth a look at. France are probably the most erratic team in the world much of the time, but when they're good they can be quite brilliant and the current team is shaping up to be very formidable at the next World Cup (which is in France, the draw is on Monday, the USA will be in the qualifiers and should get to the tournament if they don't slip up).
Good point. Maybe you don't know Pierre Albaladejo, Pierre Villepreux, Jean Gachassin, Sébastien Chabal or Jean Pierre Rives aka "Casque d'or", they are for me among the best french players... They all contributed to the "french flair".
French Rugby has had a rough 8-9 years, very bad. Plus, it's always been a top 5 team, roughly, but not as durably efficient as the southern nations or England. Right now, french rugby is exciting again, beautiful game, and could actually transform into the very first rugby world cup for France in 23. So yeah, it's good to be french right now, i'm very curious to see them play and i'm not even into rugby usually.
Good on you for increasing your rugby knowledge with some gems, game decisive or not, of our rugby history. Yeah we re flair, not for the past years though.. but last year we discovered we can a great team in few years . Go look into last 6 nations , French flair is back 🤤
the "unintentional" kicks in the face when grounding the ball were a things that happened a lot to the French, because opposing teams knew that they could make the French lose their cool and get penalized for retaliation... France never has been the most disciplined team but they're getting better... (also the ref have an harder time to ignore those provocations (video) and players can get suspended for such acts by the discipline comity after the match if it was missed during the match)
This is special because some of this trys give us victory, in desesparate situations. Sometimes we deserved to lose. So this trys are beautiful and a KO for our opponents.
Yeah so Scotland are pretty good (one of the 9 teams to be considered tier 1) The current team rankings are along these lines 1- South Africa 2- France 3- England 4- New Zealand 5- Argentina 6- Ireland 7- Scotland 8- Australia 9- Wales 10- Japan Then a decent gap in quality to: 11- Fiji 12- Italy 13- Georgia Then there is a fairly steep drop off after that. USA are currently ranked 16th and have been improving for the last 5 years (especially now Major League Rugby is a thing)
About kicking the ball, 2 rules to remember : 1/ You can't tackle a player who's not carrying the ball 2/ Kicking is the only way to pass the ball forward So two usages of kicking are : 1/ Kicking for yourself so that you keep on moving forward while opponents can't tackle you 2/ Kicking to pass the ball to a teammate is a good way to conquer ground quickly or trick the defense line
French Flair, the way we play rugby, is about striking like thunder. Fast attacks where the opponent doesn't believe we will, risky gambles, randomness, and most importantly mischievous number 9 and 10 to mess with the other team's brains.
For the opponents, the thing with the french national team is that you never know what's gonna happen. When they play good, you can put Avengers + X Men + whoever you want in front of them...they will be eaten alive !!
Antoine Dupont et the best world player in 2021 ! Damian penaud est aussi un excellent finisseurs avec Beaucoup d'essais a son compteur ! Cette une belle génération que nous avons en équipe de France. Déjà prête pour le mondial en septembre prochain. Vive la France et l'équipe de France.
I can understand why, he was impressive and powerful the "caveman". But to me he was overrated. Thierry Dusautoir was scary, the dark or black destroyer they called him in NZ (I even believe he has the record for the most tackles done in a single game, which he did against the All Blacks in a World Cup game). He was a so great defender he won the International Best Player award. And he was one of the greatest champions because he is also a great man (as far a I know)
Hi love your channel. You need to watch the kicking for the conversions and for drop goals! England has one of the best in the world at the moment Owen Farrel, or Leigh Halfpenny and Dan Bigger for Wales. Unlike NFL they are on the pitch at all times.
Sorry Louise, Owen is no longer Farell, England had in the past a really good expert for kicks Johny Wilkinson was the best. Farrel, may come back, but for the moment he is a little off ...
@@louisekullar6629 Johnny Wilkinson is the best english player of all Time for me. He is a gentleman. That's probably Why he must be the only english Player Frenchs like.. At Toulon he is a God.. Wonderful Guy...🤩🤩🤩🙏🙏🙏
Kinda true. But you also know our other stereotype : when we start to defend with a sense of desperation, we re TROUBLE. Can t wait to show it again against our dear enemy England 😈 we re on to something Magnus, believe me
