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« No sparkle for England or Scotland | | A season saved »

December 3, 2009

Posted on 12/03/2009

Individually weak but collectively outstanding

Stephen Jones bleieves that the All Blacks are "individually weak but collectively outstanding", in The Times.

"The enormous victory by New Zealand over France in Marseille last weekend was interesting from many angles. I have always considered Marc Lievremont, the French coach, as a bungler rather than true international class and France's capitulation suggests strongly that some of his own players are undecided about him as well.

"But this win, for me, summed up the essential excellence of New Zealand rugby. Heaven knows, while they may be ranked the top team in the world they have been bested by South Africa all season and even the most fervent supporters know that the Springboks are out in front at present.

"Yet considering their exhaustion at the end of a long season, New Zealand can be justly proud of their results on this tour. It was they who upheld the superiority of the Southern Hemisphere sides."

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