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Mon 17 Oct 2011 | 01:14
Rugby World Cup Daily - France to wear white as Craig Joubert gets final

44
Comments

After another weekend of controversy, the referee for the World Cup final between New Zealand and France has been named as South African Craig Joubert. In other news, France will wear white in the final, so New Zealand can wear their traditional black.

In 2007 France famously beat New Zealand in Cardiff with the All Blacks forced to wear their alternate grey strip that clearly didn't work out too well for them. This year France won the coin toss to determine the home side, but allowed New Zealand to have the choice of wearing their famous black kit.

"We decided to allow the All Blacks the choice to play in black. For us it is a sign of respect and a way for our team to thank New Zealanders for a remarkable World Cup," said French team manager Jo Maso.

"It is an honour to play the All Blacks when they play in their black jerseys and it is logical with the World Cup final being held at Eden Park," he added.

The gesture seemed a little lost of Graham Henry though. "We're the All Blacks, we're playing at home and we wear black, so it's an obvious one. But I do thank him," he said.

The other big news of the day is that France are now ranked third in the world, having moved into that position following their win over Wales on the weekend. Wales drop to sixth but can make up ground with a third place play off win. Australia remain second despite their loss to New Zealand, while South Africa move out of the top three for the first time in a while.

Craig Joubert will take charge of the final after having had a solid tournament with the whistle. In today's RWC Daily there's a bit of a chat with him, some random cooking classes, and New Zealand coach Henry talks about preparing for the World Cup Final. 



Posted By: Grant Constable

44 Comments

  • buzzkillington
    8:14 PM 20/10/2011

    Your entire post is invalidated by the fact that while you're correct in your assumption that I am English, I have little in the way of support for English rugby fans or English Rugby in general. But more importantly, because my being English has nothing to do with any of my statements. The view I have of this World Cup is trans-national.

    I watch Southern Hemisphere Rugby comps(Super, Currie, ITM) and deplore most aspects of English rugby, on and off the field. You can rubbish what I'm saying until you're blue in the face but please don't lump me in with the prawn sandwich eaters and the disgrace that is English rugby.

    The difference between you and I, gurest, is that my concerns are for Rugby, generally. You seem more concerned with measuring genitalia country by country. I have no time for that. My statements and views about the failures of this WC are grounded in reality, not xenophobia or any sort of anti-NZ or pro-English sentiment. This WC is a disappointment, I know it might be hard to accept as a Kiwi but it's the truth. Your rugby is a shining light in the rugby world, but your handling of this world cup has been nothing short of pathetic. Your stadia is better suited for a darts tournament.

  • buzzkillington
    9:54 AM 20/10/2011

    I can't believe Welsh fans actually think they have a good team after a few ordinary games against some ordinary opponents in an ordinary world cup.

    The irony of Wales losing a game on the back of kicks is just delicious. It seems like for the last 4 years every Wales victory has come from having a superior kicking game to their opponents. How marvelous that karma comes back their way and they lose for having the worst kicker, for once.

    And all this claptrap about Wales being an exciting team, lmfao. They play no different a brand of football than anyone else.

    Suck it up Wales, you're a myth and the natural order of the universe will soon resume.

  • frenchie
    10:20 PM 19/10/2011

    Suck it up you Biatches!! Warburton fucked the semi, not the ref! It was soooo red, totally unnecessary tip tackle, stupid call from the captain.
    Et merci bien!

  • klu33
    6:38 PM 19/10/2011

    How is Wales ranked 6th??? Behind England? They will beat Australia for 3rd in the World Cup and should be ranked at least 4th by end of week...if not 3rd.

  • 4:03 PM 19/10/2011

    (USA scored the first try against Australia during the tournament. Not the first try of the tournament itself)

  • 4:02 PM 19/10/2011

    Off the top of my head?

    USA scoring first the first try of the tournament against Australia.

    Argentina scoring the first try of the match against NZ.

    Ferris and co. picking Genia up and driving him back 10 meters. Not a try, but it's one of the many things I love about rugby over the NFL - I hate the goddamn "forward progress" rule.

    I'm sure there were many more celebrated tries than just those two, but the fact that the tournament became a 6N-on-one-half, soon-to-be-4N on the other for the finals kind of did away with part of my interest in it.

    Other moments that stick out:

    Italy's annihilation of our USA scrum (something I hope to not see again!) when they got so frustrated with collapsing and unsuccessful scrums/penalty attempts, that they just threw so much power into the next one that they got a penalty try. I'm not sure if I saw a more raw attacking scrum from one side this tournament...

    Japan almost looking like they were going to upset France. And everyone in the stadium backing the Japanese. That was terrific. That, and Tonga's win over Les Bleus as well.

    (...come to think of it...France have been even more abysmal than I've thought...and they're still going to play this weekend...)

    Russia scoring a pair of tries against Ireland - the joy they took from accomplishing that said it all.

    Mitchell making it back in time for the WC from that broken leg - and even scoring some tries. That was pretty cool.

    Wilkinson was only a few points from retaking the points lead over Carter, and I wish that had come around.

    Not an unforgettable World Cup (unless the final proves otherwise)...but it probably could have been worse.

  • tccalvin
    3:06 PM 19/10/2011

    I agree, it's been a very poor tournament. The officiating, the quality of play, the results, the structure, the poor treatment of "minnows" and the coverage.

    Name your Top 10 tries, from proper games (minnow whipping not allowed).

  • buzzkillington
    9:42 AM 19/10/2011

    Often it's easy to confuse a shit stadium and an empty stadium. I think Michaels point was that the stadiums being used are almost all shit, and look like something a second-tier, semi-professional sport would be played in. Hardly paints a good picture of Rugby to new fans. How a country without proper stadia or resources lands a World Cup is beyond me.

  • buzzkillington
    9:40 AM 19/10/2011

    Nobody wants to have it in England. Having it in England is now a mandatory requirement after the failures of having it in New Zealand. To get Rugby back on track, in terms of relevance and finance. It's a waste of 8 years.

    People who attend, commentators and reporters are of course given it glowing reports. A small problem with that - there's 6 billion of us who didn't attend. You can attend anything and enjoy it, I've attended golf and made a day of it, tells you nothing about the success of a tournament or tour.

    This World Cup has been a disappointment and nothing short of a disaster. The overwhelming majority of the World are completely obvious to the fact there is a Rugby world Cup right now.

    If this World Cup is a success then I don't know what a failure would look like. Obviously you believe Rugby is in far worse health and standing than I do, to think this was a World Cup done well.

    This World Cup might as well have not happened, it's been that insignificant and absent from the wider public. It's not good entertaining teams like NZ winning when the game is being showcase to a population of 8. You look, the TV ratings will prove what I'm saying.

  • uhtiger
    6:10 AM 19/10/2011

    "The stadia were sadly empty alot". What were you watching? For the most part games were near capacity or full.

  • uhtiger
    6:07 AM 19/10/2011

    People who have attended the event have for the most given it glowing reports, commentators and reporters from every country have given it glowing reports, the IRB itself has given it glowing reports and from most corners it's being called the best RWC ever. Im not getting the animosity from some of the people on various sites like this. A lot of the games have been really good with like you said the minnows for the most standing up. The only down side has been a few of the reffing decisions.
    Another thing i dont get is why some are getting annoyed about the all blacks possibly winning. They've been the number 1 ranked team since the last world cup, surely if anyone wins it it should be them.
    People bring up that the world cups should be spread around then go on to praise the virtues of having it in england, they've had it before, plus Wales (just down the road) and france played a couple games over that side of the channel. By anyone but bitter fans this has been a fairly succesful cup.

  • 3:35 AM 19/10/2011

    I don't see the 2015 being all that different...would it?

    The 2019 one in Japan, however, ought to be a fresh take.

  • buzzkillington
    10:40 PM 18/10/2011

    What did people expect with a World Cup in New Zealand? People were calling it on en-masse, years before hand - Giving the World Cup to NZ was a disgraceful decision and the tournament would end up a damp squib.

    Well we're one game away from the tournament ending and if anything it's proven even more disappointing than people imagined. The only upside were some decent performances from the minnows, which could have happened if you played the World Cup in any country.

    The IRB have basically wasted a World Cup and thrown away any momentum that the game had built on the back of the 2007 World Cup in France. This World Cup has been a World Cup for New Zealanders and Rugby die-hards.

    Hopefully - and I do have some confidence - the 2015 World Cup in England will be a good one, and teamed with Sevens entering the Olympics in 2016 we will see a hugely successful 2019 tournament.

    The only positive I can see to this World Cup is that in its glaring mediocrity it created dissent and protest from fans, and has forced the IRB to reconsider their position on certain issues(minnow pooling and development, for example).

    I wish the French good luck in the final.

  • colombes
    5:31 PM 18/10/2011

    people are still arguing avout warburton red card...? what the f...
    i thought that, french were the world champions of paranoia, apparently not.

    don't know what will be the outcome
    majority thinks or wants that france be trashed by 50 points, thing that prove that they know very few of rugby. AB's are the best team for me, skills and power they have everythin, but if France skills had stayed quite poor vs a gorgeous welsh team, their mental have really increased thx to their defence performances and all the french-bashings (even on this blog, where moderation doesn't exist when it's about france :))
    Even when they are gracious by offering the choice of the jersey to the AB's, they are treated as "white flag deserters" it says a lot :)

    so again, don't write-off frenchies.
    whatever the result, they've already done the job and will play without pressure
    don't think that french fans will be sad about the defeat, as apparently we have already been defeated, reading the nz herald :)

  • tccalvin
    1:25 PM 18/10/2011

    Yeah because France have a great tradition of winning World Cups, your worse than NZ (and I'm not Welsh).

    What a farce of a sport, a team that is unable to beat Tonga, in the World Cup final. No wonder it's dying out.

  • m.meuble
    1:09 PM 18/10/2011

    Ok TCCalvin,

    It doesnt seem referee mistake was a big deal when it occured for Wales. At least for Gatland and all the Welsh, who can't behave with dignity after their loss. (and this was a was a bad call, very different from the strict application of the law made by ROLLAND).

    http://www.rugbydump.com/2011/03/1869/mike-phillips-controversial-try-sets-up-wales-win-over-ireland

    Meanwhile a satisfied Warren Gatland believed the decision wasnt a problem:

    "I can understand Ireland being frustrated with the try that was allowed but it's a decision that's gone our way, we've had some against us in the past, so I'm not complaining about it."

    Not to mention, our big friend Derek Beaven, who received a beautiful gold watch after the game he refeereed in 95 between France & SA.

    So stop whining, keep thinking like all NZ newspaper that the ABs will trash us by 50 points (poor kiwis, they havent learnt nothing from 2007) and see you on sunday night.

  • paimoe
    3:22 AM 18/10/2011

    Rolland also ref'd the NZ/France match in 2009, where NZ won 39-12

  • calvin
    1:46 AM 18/10/2011

    And to compliment the jersey, white flags will also be distributed for the french fans to wave.

  • hry
    1:30 AM 18/10/2011

    Sour Welshmen haven't gotten over it yet. Cooper got dumped once. Great tackle, never beyond horizontal, came down on his side/arm, held onto by Kaino (I think) all the way down. The country of Wales seems to have collectively lost the ability to distinguish between a legal dump tackle and a spear or tip.

  • tccalvin
    12:07 AM 18/10/2011

    Well in a normal world you wouldn't appoint a half French ref to look after a French game either. But modern day Union is full of wank.

  • tccalvin
    12:05 AM 18/10/2011

    Of course the first 20 minutes will define the game.

    It all depends on whether Jourbert is injured and the chubby faced prick Rolland takes over and starts dishing out red cards for sneezing (to NZ players only ofc).

  • uhtiger
    11:25 PM 17/10/2011

    Which tackle was that? I dont remember seeing anyone get turned upside down in the NZ v Aus game.

  • moddeur
    11:03 PM 17/10/2011

    France to win by 2 points or lose by 35 points. The first 20 minutes or so will define the rest of the game.

  • welshosprey
    10:46 PM 17/10/2011

    Who cares what colour they wear, france dont stand a chance.

  • andrej
    8:41 PM 17/10/2011

    Exactly. Wales was playing like New Z. Winning all the games by massive scores. One bad tackle, that was repeated in the New Z and Australia game with out even a yellow card ruined the whole thing. Its a joke.

  • andrej
    8:39 PM 17/10/2011

    Every game that I watched with France, the commentators where saying over and over, not a very good kick, not a very good kick, and the way the french played with terrible team work and set plays its a bloody joke they are even where they are. They have lost to Italy, and I even think USA could beat them.
    Its a big Joke.

  • andrej
    8:22 PM 17/10/2011

    Still in disbelief its not Ireland of Wales in the Final. If it was one of those teams we might actually have a close game. France will be left destitute. I'm certian New Z will play a very relaxed game once they score the first try. From there its Rape and Pillage.

  • buzzkillington
    8:09 PM 17/10/2011

    Not really, Calvin. France are not part of the rest of the world in this case, it was presupposed quite clearly. You don't send an open letter to yourself, dipshit.

  • tccalvin
    7:49 PM 17/10/2011

    No, you said the Welsh and the rest of the world. So it's aimed at France too, as they're part of the rest of the world.

  • 7:22 PM 17/10/2011

    Here's the simplified explanation, Calvin:
    http://tinyurl.com/3ldxq3d

  • 7:17 PM 17/10/2011

    *edit: that should read say, SA down to 5th, and Australia 6th - for a Wales win by over 15 (assuming NZ beat Les Bleus).

  • tccalvin
    7:15 PM 17/10/2011

    To the Welsh and the rest of the world? Isn't that everyone?

  • tccalvin
    7:14 PM 17/10/2011

    That explanation was far too boring, have a red card for dissent.

  • 7:13 PM 17/10/2011

    If Wales lose to Australia, BuzzKillington, then yeah, they will be ranked below Ireland and Argentina (they'll have 80.24pts; if they lose by more than 15, they'll be at 79.81pts).

    So, I was curious and messed about and got this:
    France v New Zealand: (home-field handicap applies to NZ)
    France win: Looks like they'd be ranked #1, regardless of 3rd place game results. The Kiwis would then be ranked 2nd or 3rd, depending on various outcomes.
    NZ win: The teams change a measly 0.09pts, so I think they still remain above SA - even if NZ win by over 15.

    Australia v Wales:
    Wales win: Wales now have 84.18pts and move up to 4th. If they beat Australia by over 15 points, Wales move up to 3rd, and SA down to 4th, and Australia 5th.
    Australia win: Aus = 87.35, and Wales 80.24pts (even more if 15-pt diff.).

    So, NZ end up in 3rd place if:
    1) France wins by 15
    2) France wins by >15 and Wales wins by >15

    Never gonna happen...but one can dream.

  • 6:29 PM 17/10/2011

    For all those wondering why Wales is now ranked lower than England...the IRB ranking system is pretty clearly laid out.

    Because Wales was ranked higher than France last week, by France winning, they gained more points than what would've happened had Wales won.

    (The pre-match points difference was x=0.53 in favor of Wales, so with the IRB ranking calculation for the points change: y = 1/10x + 1, that means the change would be 1.053 points by France beating Wales. Had Wales won, the change would've only been 0.047 points).

    Then, because it's part of the WC finals stages, there's a 2x multiplier, meaning that Wales ended up losing 2.11 points, and France gained 2.11 points.

    Because England didn't play, having been knocked out, their points remained unchanged. Notice, though, how they lost almost 3 points by losing to France in the QF.

    Even though they're now below England, by having made it to the semi-finals, they're still higher in points than they were at the end of the pool stages (up 3pts by beating Ireland, and then down 2pts by losing to France).

  • paimoe
    6:21 PM 17/10/2011

    England didn't really go up. It was just Wales that went down.

    For example, if (per those rankings) Ireland beat Australia in a match, they would probably jump above Wales, even though "Wales would drop without even playing". Rankings work pretty well.

  • paimoe
    6:19 PM 17/10/2011

    He isn't really grumpy, it's just his thing. He can be confusing at times. Like PdV, but not THAT out there.

    There's two things I'm hoping if NZ win the final - Dan Carter helps lift the trophy, and Henry smiles. Not too sure on the 2nd point.

  • sr-dean
    6:12 PM 17/10/2011

    yes disgraceful that the six nations champions are ranked as high as 5!
    chip? shoulder?

  • buzzkillington
    6:09 PM 17/10/2011

    The logic is England are clearly a better side than Wales. Wales going well, like England going poorly, was a blip.

    Ireland should also be above Wales, as should Argentina

  • tccalvin
    6:06 PM 17/10/2011

    Just like the Australia New Zealand game too.

  • colombes
    5:56 PM 17/10/2011

    because france is playing like england. we had a deal with IRB: If we played an ugly "kick" and "rock'n rollin mauls" game vs welshs to go in final, half of our points are for england ;)

  • reess93
    5:38 PM 17/10/2011

    how can england go up without even playing ?

  • tccalvin
    5:00 PM 17/10/2011

    Shouldn't Tonga be ranked number 1?

  • lnd
    4:56 PM 17/10/2011

    England ranked 5th?

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