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Duncan Casey: Dublin a dud in contrast to France and All Blacks thriller

The Stade de France crowd was treated to a contest full of drama and no little skill.

Tue, 19 Nov, 2024 - 07:44

France’s opening minute against New Zealand on Saturday reminded us of why they are so enjoyable to watch. Their fifth phase of possession saw second rows Meafou and Flament combine with some lovely handling to send enormous tighthead Tevita Tatafu careering through a gap for a 15-metre line break. This was followed by a chip behind and to the touchline by out-half Thomas Ramos, collected and offloaded in the air by winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey.

The crowd was roaring. The trumpets were blaring. Stade de France was rocking as it always is. While nothing came of this passage of play, it set the tone for what was an incredible 80-minute battle between two sides that have failed to meet high expectations in recent times. Both teams combined power, structure and individual brilliance to put on the kind of spectacle that would hook a newbie watching rugby for the first time.

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