This meeting between the Blues and the All Blacks has not stopped talking. A real shock of this fall tour, the game was followed closely in the four corners of the world. If many media agree on the beauty of a match which will be historic, others question the performance of Nika Amashukeli, referee of the match.
“The Stade de France had already seen more beautiful rugby played by its team, but rarely had such a level of joy and relief at the final whistle.” This introductory sentence of TimesEnglish media, sums up quite well the Saturday evening of millions of French supporters.
At the end of a match that she never really knew how to master, the French team achieved a third consecutive success against the All Blacksa first since 1995. Enough to mark this date with a hot iron mark: “A moment in history was written on Saturday evening. This new “victory without a ball”, like those of 1954 and 2007, shows to what extent the balance of power has changed between these two teams.” analyzes this same Times. An observation shared among our colleagues from Guardian : “Backs on fire, packs of forwards that were crushed, and an incessant mano a mano: we witnessed a classic of world rugby which will be a landmark this Saturday evening”.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey causes a sensation
In the Anglo-Saxon media, one player stands out: Louis Bielle-Biarrey. Author of the third French try at the end of a completely crazy race, the French winger earned himself a nickname on the other side of the Channel: “The Blues found themselves a rocket, with an impressive speed that the New Zealand defense could not resist” writes Charles Richardson in the columns of the Telegraph. Strong words shared by the New Zealand coach Scott Robertson, who describes the player as “incredibly fast”.
Credited with an 8/10 by the RugbyPass journalists, the Bordeaux player in the red helmet is entitled to a careful comment after his XXL performance: “He knew how to clear his side wonderfully every time the game demanded it. But above all, he mystified Sevu Reece during the pursuit of Thomas Ramos' kick. An image which risks haunting the All Blacks winger for years to come.”
A controversial arbitration
Haunted, the Stade de France is haunted for the All Blacks who saw their dream of winning a fourth World Cup come to an end on this same pitch. It is also on this ground that New Zealand has lost its last three clashes against the French team, making it a cursed place according to the media NZ Herald : “It is undoubtedly ridiculous to believe that a rugby stadium can be haunted. However, for the third time in a year, ghosts appeared at the Stade de France to prevent the All Blacks from winning. Saint-Denis is becoming the tomb of New Zealand's hopes. A place that seems to bring out demons in Scott Robertson's players, making uncharacteristic errors at home.”
But this same newspaper has an actor in the meeting in its sights: Nika Amashukeli. The Georgian referee of the game stood out in the country of the long white cloud for one action in particular: “The All Blacks were not helped by numerous baffling refereeing decisions, including an incomprehensible one on Ofa Tu'ungafasi's neck roll.”. This famous controversial moment comes in the 72nd minute of play, when the replacement pillar is guilty of a foul reported by the video referee. A crucial decision which allowed the Blues to regain a four-point lead thanks to the foot of Thomas Ramos.
A good player, the media nevertheless ends by complimenting the Dupont gang: “France knew how to do what it does best: play intelligently and be carried by a public in a trance to guide them to victory.” A success that will be a landmark in Galthié’s second termwithout a doubt.
France
