This Saturday, the French XV begins its fall test series against Japan. But Vincent Moscato, never shy of strong words, is already thinking about the match against the All Blacks. In his own style, the former hooker appears confident: for him, France is in the Top 3 in the world and has what it takes to dominate New Zealand.
“Where does the killer go?“
Vincent Moscato says it loud and clear on RMC: “We are in the top 3 in the world. I am convinced.” A clear opinion, which he justifies by the recent rise in power of the Blues. Evoking the last World Cup and the victory of the French against the Blacks, Moscato imagines a return match with the identical result.
According to him, if the All Blacks make so many blunders and lose balls, “they will take counterattacks” et “where does the trucider go?“. For Moscato, the French back lines are better and more aggressive: “We have guys who are better than them behind.”
Before facing France, New Zealand will have to face Ireland. Moscato predicts a “bad lemonade” for Robertson's men. In his eyes, Ireland is formidable, especially since like the other teams, they are raising their level of play to avoid defeat. Moscato expects the Irish to come and pick up the All Blacks.
The tone is set. Moscato even goes so far as to announce a double defeat for the All Blacks, against Ireland then against France. A sequence which, according to him, would confirm that the Blues are undoubtedly placed among the three best nations in the world.
The Blues in the world top, really?
For Moscato, the debate is closed. If we had to establish a Top 3, “you put Blacks and South Africans with us, not in front of us.” Moscato, however, tempers his enthusiasm: even if the French XV is at the top, he admits that it is also possible to lose against six or seven teams.
While waiting to return to New Zealand, the Blues will have to stay focused to get off to a good start against Japan. But with Moscato, the Blues are already in the future, ready to compete with the giants of world rugby.