Laporte: All Blacks class above rest

FRENCH COACH Bernard Laporte gave an ominous warning to the rest of the Six Nations teams when he said, looking ahead to the World Cup, that New Zealand were a class apart.

A weekend of three fantastic games among the six top teams in the northern hemisphere sent pulses racing among rugby fans as Ireland narrowly edged out Scotland 19-18, Italy hung on to beat Wales 23-20, and a depleted and deflated England side pulled out all the stops to end France’s Grand Slam hopes in a 26-18 victory.

Laporte gave a friendly reminder that whatever France do in this competition, it does not make them favourites to lift the World Cup on home soil in the October 20 final later this year.