November 14, 2024 • 9 mins
Pioneering bilingual international Rugby journalist for over 35 years, having covered 8 Rugby World Cups and over 500 test matches Ian Borthwick joins the show to preview the clash between the All Blacks and France this Saturday.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
International rugby coverage on the Country. Sport Breakfast is proudly
brought to you by Access Solutions, elevating you and your
business to a higher level looking rugby here now on
the show, and the All Blacks are facing their biggest
test I guess of the Northern Tour when they go
up against an inform France just after nine o'clock Sunday morning,
(00:21):
New Zealand Time live here on Gold Sport of commentary
out of State de France joining us on the CSB
this morning. International rugby journalist an author out of France
in Borthwick, moonjeur In.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yeah, good morning, Brian.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Absolutely alrighty. Let's start with two straight test wins for
the French over the All Blacks so far. So are
they confident they can make it three? Do you think?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
I don't know if they're confident. They think they probably
They played against Japan as you know, on the weekend
and had a comfortable win, but I don't think there
was enough material in that wind to give them any
real confidence against New Zealand. I think they probably still
feel they're a bit rusty. Whereas the All Blacks have
had quite a few games as you know under their
(01:10):
belts and have certainly gained in confidence as their tour
has progressed from Japan to Twickenham to Dublin, and the
all backs are looking very strong as they come to
Paris for Saturday night.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
The French, you've got one or two injury concerns. Has
there been much changed from the French side that they
got knocked out in the Court of Finals last year?
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Are there are a few changes and Gautier has been
mixing up or certainly mixed up as players for the
first game against Japan, But I think we'll come back
to something more a bit more classical against New Zealand
on the weekend. And knowing that however, as Roman Camac
the first five is out injured as you probably know,
(01:56):
and he was replaced against Japan by another to lose
player who usually plays it at fullback as Homos, and
also the try scoring winger Danianpino, who's only two tries
away from South Bronco's French try scoring record. He has
been has been again ruled out because he's not well.
So yeah, I guess there's a few changes that the
(02:17):
French will be making, but I think they're pretty confident
that they've got a team that's looking that's that's recovered
from perhaps the disappointment of defeat in the quarter fan
of the World Cup and having Entoine du Pont back
on board, probably looking at firing on all cylinders.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Now, Yeah, I was going to say, I mean Antone
DuPont certainly the conductor behind the scrum there. He's looking
very very strong at the moment, isn't he?
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Yes, he certainly hasn't hasn't slackened off any As you know,
he had some time out from the French team, didn't
play in last year's Six Nations because he was concentrating
on sevens and he's come back now for the first
time against Japan and certainly showed that he's he's probably
picked up a yard and pace from all the sevens
(03:07):
training and playing that he did. So he's even more
a threat probably around around the ruck and broken player
and he continues to to just improve as a as
the all round master and game player. Or for the French.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
The playing in State to France fabulous stadium. What makes
it such a fortress to play at?
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Well, it's eighty thousand spectators, which you probably don't get
in New Zealand anymore, and it's it's a it's a
pretty formidable place to play, at least it has become
so in the last few years. In my experience. For
many years it was a rather cold place and a
lot of rugby people in France didn't like that stadium.
(03:50):
But I think since the last time I found a change,
since the last time the All Blacks came here, not
on that on their tour, think it was twenty twenty one,
there was a definite change in the way the public
was sort of getting in behind the French team, and
certainly a change in the way they sang the national
(04:12):
anthem of the Massies, something I've never heard before, which
was again in that game against against the All Blacks
and in a game in which the French went on
to score a record win against New Zealand forty to
twenty five, if my memory serves me directly. So, yeah,
it's a pretty amazing place to play, and I think
(04:33):
after many years of being not in favor with French
rugby people, it's now happily seen as front French rugby's
home stadium.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
And what have you made of the new look All
Black side under coach Scott Robinson on their Northern tour.
They've played Japan, they've won that one, They've beaten England,
they've beaten Island. What have you made of them?
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Well, I think they started off a bit shakily. They
were perhaps lucky to win that game against against the
English at Twickenham, but that's the way the ball, the
cookie crumbles. They certainly they wanted they were there, you know,
they were still in it at the end and England
probably felt probably unlucky at losing that. But then I
(05:17):
think they stepped up, took another definite step forward against
Ireland in Dublin, showed that they could shut down that
very skillful and dangerous Irish team. In fact, Ireland never
looked like the Island team we have come to know
and admire over the years. So I think that they're
they're sort of working on their game, working on their
(05:38):
strengths and working on on I think, canceling out the
strengths of their opposition, which they seem to do very
well against Ireland and which I would expect them to
attempt to do against the French on Saturday night at
stud Deface.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
They've got a couple of injury concerns losing somebody like
Sam Kaine. That's a big one for the Abs as well,
but they've probably got depth, do you think.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
I think yeah, I think well Sam Kine obviously he's
a great leader still in a group. Even though he's
not captain, he's still he's still been an important leader
for Scott Robertson's team and that is a big loss.
But I think it's probably you know, he's at the
end of his career and it was bad luck for him.
I mean, having especially having had that red card against
(06:22):
him in the final of the World Cup against South
Africa stud de France. Maybe he was looking to come
back for a bit of redemption against France, but that's
not going to happen. But I think it's probably making
Scott Robertson and as co co selectors think a bit
about how what the makeup of their back row is
(06:42):
going to be. And I think probably they've got sufficient
talent to have a pretty well balanced back row to
take on the French.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
And they're looking into your crystal ball. Who do you
think is going to win and why? On Sunday morning, Oh,
as I say, I I'm going to go with the
all Blacks.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
I think that they have built on the you know,
a shaky start to the season, but they're built gradually
over the tour and there's certainly, I think, as I
understand it, one of the big themes in their game,
in their sort of preparation this week is there's the
memory of the nineteen twenty four invincible side who as
(07:24):
you know, came to Europe and played played thirty two
games and won all thirty two, and so they want
to equal that feet and I think that they feel
that this game against France is probably the game of
the season for them, and I think if they can
knock that off, then this is certainly put this all
(07:45):
Black team back in the history books and put New
Zealand rugby back on the tracks. But that still has
that has to be they have to get over France first,
and France they've got a very canny coach and a
very skillful captain and a lot of love of skillful
players in the side and a lot of heavyweights upfront
(08:05):
as well, so it's going to be no easy task.
But I think New Zealand, the way that the All
Acts are playing, especially in the type phases and in
the rucks the way they shut down Ireland. I think
they just might have an edge over France and they
might just win it in the in the in the
combat area or the ball winning areas on Sunday night.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
We'll know later on Sunday morning. Hey, thank you so
much Ian for joining us today. Enjoy the match.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Okay, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Woa o wah a pioneering bilingual international rugby journalisty in
Borthwick thirty five years. He's been doing that, covered eight
Rugby World Cups and over five hundred Test matches. Kind
of knows what he's talking about. Same as greg Or Paul,
who will be joining us after seven thirty this morning.
We'll get his take on last weekends match against Ireland,
of course, and don't forget we'll have a live commentary
(08:57):
of the match here on gold Sport Sunday morning, kick
off just after nine o'clock. Eliote Smith and Greggle Paul
on the cal on the on the call
International rugby coverage on the Country. Sport Breakfast is proudly
brought to you by Access Solutions, elevating you and your
business to a higher level looking rugby here now on
the show, and the All Blacks are facing their biggest
test I guess of the Northern Tour when they go
up against an inform France just after nine o'clock Sunday morning,
(00:21):
New Zealand Time live here on Gold Sport of commentary
out of State de France joining us on the CSB
this morning. International rugby journalist an author out of France
in Borthwick, moonjeur In.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yeah, good morning, Brian.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Absolutely alrighty. Let's start with two straight test wins for
the French over the All Blacks so far. So are
they confident they can make it three? Do you think?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
I don't know if they're confident. They think they probably
They played against Japan as you know, on the weekend
and had a comfortable win, but I don't think there
was enough material in that wind to give them any
real confidence against New Zealand. I think they probably still
feel they're a bit rusty. Whereas the All Blacks have
had quite a few games as you know under their
(01:10):
belts and have certainly gained in confidence as their tour
has progressed from Japan to Twickenham to Dublin, and the
all backs are looking very strong as they come to
Paris for Saturday night.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
The French, you've got one or two injury concerns. Has
there been much changed from the French side that they
got knocked out in the Court of Finals last year?
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Are there are a few changes and Gautier has been
mixing up or certainly mixed up as players for the
first game against Japan, But I think we'll come back
to something more a bit more classical against New Zealand
on the weekend. And knowing that however, as Roman Camac
the first five is out injured as you probably know,
(01:56):
and he was replaced against Japan by another to lose
player who usually plays it at fullback as Homos, and
also the try scoring winger Danianpino, who's only two tries
away from South Bronco's French try scoring record. He has
been has been again ruled out because he's not well.
So yeah, I guess there's a few changes that the
(02:17):
French will be making, but I think they're pretty confident
that they've got a team that's looking that's that's recovered
from perhaps the disappointment of defeat in the quarter fan
of the World Cup and having Entoine du Pont back
on board, probably looking at firing on all cylinders.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Now, Yeah, I was going to say, I mean Antone
DuPont certainly the conductor behind the scrum there. He's looking
very very strong at the moment, isn't he?
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Yes, he certainly hasn't hasn't slackened off any As you know,
he had some time out from the French team, didn't
play in last year's Six Nations because he was concentrating
on sevens and he's come back now for the first
time against Japan and certainly showed that he's he's probably
picked up a yard and pace from all the sevens
(03:07):
training and playing that he did. So he's even more
a threat probably around around the ruck and broken player
and he continues to to just improve as a as
the all round master and game player. Or for the French.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
The playing in State to France fabulous stadium. What makes
it such a fortress to play at?
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Well, it's eighty thousand spectators, which you probably don't get
in New Zealand anymore, and it's it's a it's a
pretty formidable place to play, at least it has become
so in the last few years. In my experience. For
many years it was a rather cold place and a
lot of rugby people in France didn't like that stadium.
(03:50):
But I think since the last time I found a change,
since the last time the All Blacks came here, not
on that on their tour, think it was twenty twenty one,
there was a definite change in the way the public
was sort of getting in behind the French team, and
certainly a change in the way they sang the national
(04:12):
anthem of the Massies, something I've never heard before, which
was again in that game against against the All Blacks
and in a game in which the French went on
to score a record win against New Zealand forty to
twenty five, if my memory serves me directly. So, yeah,
it's a pretty amazing place to play, and I think
(04:33):
after many years of being not in favor with French
rugby people, it's now happily seen as front French rugby's
home stadium.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
And what have you made of the new look All
Black side under coach Scott Robinson on their Northern tour.
They've played Japan, they've won that one, They've beaten England,
they've beaten Island. What have you made of them?
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Well, I think they started off a bit shakily. They
were perhaps lucky to win that game against against the
English at Twickenham, but that's the way the ball, the
cookie crumbles. They certainly they wanted they were there, you know,
they were still in it at the end and England
probably felt probably unlucky at losing that. But then I
(05:17):
think they stepped up, took another definite step forward against
Ireland in Dublin, showed that they could shut down that
very skillful and dangerous Irish team. In fact, Ireland never
looked like the Island team we have come to know
and admire over the years. So I think that they're
they're sort of working on their game, working on their
(05:38):
strengths and working on on I think, canceling out the
strengths of their opposition, which they seem to do very
well against Ireland and which I would expect them to
attempt to do against the French on Saturday night at
stud Deface.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
They've got a couple of injury concerns losing somebody like
Sam Kaine. That's a big one for the Abs as well,
but they've probably got depth, do you think.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
I think yeah, I think well Sam Kine obviously he's
a great leader still in a group. Even though he's
not captain, he's still he's still been an important leader
for Scott Robertson's team and that is a big loss.
But I think it's probably you know, he's at the
end of his career and it was bad luck for him.
I mean, having especially having had that red card against
(06:22):
him in the final of the World Cup against South
Africa stud de France. Maybe he was looking to come
back for a bit of redemption against France, but that's
not going to happen. But I think it's probably making
Scott Robertson and as co co selectors think a bit
about how what the makeup of their back row is
(06:42):
going to be. And I think probably they've got sufficient
talent to have a pretty well balanced back row to
take on the French.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
And they're looking into your crystal ball. Who do you
think is going to win and why? On Sunday morning, Oh,
as I say, I I'm going to go with the
all Blacks.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
I think that they have built on the you know,
a shaky start to the season, but they're built gradually
over the tour and there's certainly, I think, as I
understand it, one of the big themes in their game,
in their sort of preparation this week is there's the
memory of the nineteen twenty four invincible side who as
(07:24):
you know, came to Europe and played played thirty two
games and won all thirty two, and so they want
to equal that feet and I think that they feel
that this game against France is probably the game of
the season for them, and I think if they can
knock that off, then this is certainly put this all
(07:45):
Black team back in the history books and put New
Zealand rugby back on the tracks. But that still has
that has to be they have to get over France first,
and France they've got a very canny coach and a
very skillful captain and a lot of love of skillful
players in the side and a lot of heavyweights upfront
(08:05):
as well, so it's going to be no easy task.
But I think New Zealand, the way that the All
Acts are playing, especially in the type phases and in
the rucks the way they shut down Ireland. I think
they just might have an edge over France and they
might just win it in the in the in the
combat area or the ball winning areas on Sunday night.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
We'll know later on Sunday morning. Hey, thank you so
much Ian for joining us today. Enjoy the match.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Okay, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Woa o wah a pioneering bilingual international rugby journalisty in
Borthwick thirty five years. He's been doing that, covered eight
Rugby World Cups and over five hundred Test matches. Kind
of knows what he's talking about. Same as greg Or Paul,
who will be joining us after seven thirty this morning.
We'll get his take on last weekends match against Ireland,
of course, and don't forget we'll have a live commentary
(08:57):
of the match here on gold Sport Sunday morning, kick
off just after nine o'clock. Eliote Smith and Greggle Paul
on the cal on the on the call
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