Fiery French get back on track

WORLD Cup hosts France took out nine days of pent-up frustration on Namibia with a resounding victory that will have drawn nervous glances from Ireland last night.

The French, battered and pilloried after their loss to Argentina in the Rugby World Cup opener, headed southwest to Toulouse last week to recharge the batteries and did so with their emphatic Pool D win, winning 87-10. Yes, that means a bonus point.

France coach Bernard Laporte might be well advised to bus the entire Toulouse crowd up to the capital for Friday night’s game. Half an hour before the start the stadium was rocking, passionate fans roaring La Marseillaise down at the Namibians warming up at the west end of the stadium.

France clearly wanted to put the Argentina game behind them. How long did it take? About seven minutes. They kept the ball in hand from the kick-off and relentless pressure eventually created an overlap on the left for Cedric Heymans to touch down in the corner.

Namibia didn’t lie down – Emile Wessels dropped a goal to respond – but France were in town for a bonus point, and they drove through for another try from David Marty two minutes later. Michalak converted.

Namibia number eight Jacques Niewenhuis had been lucky to escape without censure for a dangerous high tackle on Vincent Clerc, a tendency to rashness that cost him dearly on 20 minutes. Niewenhuis led with the arm again, this time flooring Sebastian Chabal, and got a red card for his troubles. Heymans kicked the penalty into the corner and France drove the Namibians over from the line-out, Thierry Dusatoir coming up with the ball. Michalak converted, and at the end of the first quarter France were leading 19-3 and playing 14 men.

For Namibia, the next 60 minutes must have looked like the week until payday, and they weren’t helped by the officials. On 32 minutes Lionel Nallet scored a try which seemed rough justice, as a Traille pass earlier in the move looked clearly forward. Vincent Clerc got another try, then Nallet added his second in first-half injury time, and with Ellisalde’s conversions the score was 38-3.

The second half? Don’t be a glutton. France took seven minutes to get their first try, through Julien Bonnaire, and Chabal added another two minutes later for the loudest roar of the evening. Well, the loudest until his second just afterwards, following a 40 yard gallop.

The only element of suspense was whether or not the French would break the 100-point barrier, though to be fair to the crowd, they stood to applaud Bratley Langenhoven’s late consolation try.

Given Ireland’s stuttering defeat of Georgia the previous evening, the auguries for Friday night’s crucial France-Ireland clash in Paris could hardly be more ominous. Ireland’s result against Namibia – that underwhelming 32-17 win – shows a line of form that favours the French. Granted, Namibia’s largely amateur side played an hour with 14 men, but they were 12-3 down before Nieuwenhuis was sent off and the writing was on the wall even then.

France certainly looked far happier last night. Clement Poitrenaud’s return to his natural position of full-back gives the backs more balance, particularly with Heymans moved back to the wing. David Marty got on the score-sheet but a couple of dropped passes suggest Yannick Jauzion will return to partner Traille Friday night.

Even allowing for the poverty of the Namibian half-backs – Wessels went off injured after 10 minutes — the combination of Michalak and Ellisalde looks far more likely to free the French three-quarters than Mignoni and Skrela, who played against Argentina.

Up front, despite Chabal’s second-half tries the feeling persists in France that he may be better suited to the role of impact substitute, as suggested by Fabien Pelous’ 58th-minute introduction. Ditto the hooker, where Dimitri Szarzewski’s energy will hardly unseat captain Raphael Ibanez, introduced at the same time as Pelous.

Bernard Laporte may have been helping Ibanez and Pelous to exorcise the ghosts of their last outing, the loss to Argentina. On the basis of Ireland’s display on Saturday against Georgia, you would have to say the men in green look ill-equipped to dish out more unhappy memories to France next weekend.

France scorers: Tries: Heymans, Marty, Dusautoir, Nallet 2, Clerc 3, Bonnaire, Chabal 2, Elissalde, Ibanez. Cons: Elissalde 11.

FRANCE: Poitrenaud, Clerc, Marty, Traille, Heymans, Michalak, Elissalde, Poux, Szarzewski, De Villiers, Chabal, Nallet, Nyanga, Dusautoir, Bonnaire.

Replacements: Rougerie for Poitrenaud (65), Jauzion for Traille (51), Ibanez for Szarzewski (58), Mas for De Villiers (42), Pelous for Chabal (58), Harinordoquy for Nyanga (56).

Namibia scorers: Tries: Langenhoven. Cons: Losper. Drop Goals: Wessels.

NAMIBIA: Losper, Witbooi, Langenhoven, van Zyl, Bock, Wessels, van Tonder, Lensing, Horn, du Toit, Kazombiaze, Esterhuize, MacKenzie, Burger, Nieuwenhuis.

Replacements: Africa for van Zyl (66), Botes for Wessels (12), Jantjies for van Tonder (41), Redelinghuys for Lensing (57), Meyer for Horn (65), Lindvelt for Esterhuize (57), du Plessis for Burger (57).

Ref: Alain Rolland (Ireland).