Thomas Siniecki, Media365: published on Friday November 15, 2024 at 1:57 p.m.
It is one of the greatest rivalries in world rugby which has lasted for more than a century, exactly 118 years.
In the World Cup
The history of the Blues and the Blacks is inseparable at the highest international level, since the two teams faced each other in the first final in history in 1987 (29-9 for the Blacks) in New Zealand. In 1999, the French took their revenge at Twickenham in the semi-finals (43-31) against the armada of the late Jonah Lomu, for what many still consider to be the greatest match in the history of the French XV.
The 2007 quarter-final, in Cardiff, was another unexpected disappointment for the favorite New Zealanders (18-20) who, however, managed to close the game in the final four years later at home, after a terribly difficult encounter. suffocating (8-7) which always revives our eternal regrets. It was much clearer in 2015, the Blacks crushing the Blues in historic proportions (62-13). The last clash, no earlier than last year at the Stade de France, turned in favor of Fabien Galthié's players during a remarkable opening match (27-13).
In test match
Three years ago, almost to the day, the French XV already dominated New Zealand in Saint-Denis (40-25), which augured a Grand Slam to come for Antoine Dupont and the Blues. And ended our worst series of all time, fourteen consecutive defeats since 2007 including eleven tests. Historically, the triple world champions are far above with a total of 48 victories against fourteen, or 77% success.
A legend that has lasted since 1906 and the first France – New Zealand at the Park, won 38-8 by our illustrious visitors. We had to wait until 1954 and a tiny 3-0 at Colombes to witness the first success of the Blues, then 1979 for the first victory of the XV of France away from home (19-24). Didier Codorniou notably scored a try for the gang to Jean-Pierre Rives. In 1994, the French won twice in a row in Christchurch (8-22) and Auckland (20-23) with the famous try from the end of the world by Jean-Luc Sadourny. There will then be only a fourth away victory, 2009 (22-27). At the heart of a generally very delicate start to the 21st century, we will also remember this broken jaw by Sébastien Chabal in 2007 on Ali Williams, while Bernard Laporte's players suffered a severe 61-10 a few months before the World Cup.
