All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen supports Marc Lievremont's team selection – Rugby News
The All Blacks assistant coach, Steve Hansen, has publicly spoken in favour of France’s team selection for their upcoming pool A encounter between the two rival nations. New Zealand will host
France at Eden Park, Auckland on Saturday, September 24.
France national rugby union team, commonly known as Les Bleus, has already announced their match day squad for their weekend encounter against the hosts. Following the announcement of the squad,
which featured “a double scrum half axis”, the French strategy was subject to intensive criticism in both the local and foreign media.
Hansen made the comments while taking part in the on-going discussion regarding the French selection on Thursday, September 22. He said, “Who are we to say what is their best combination at
halfback and first five for this test match? I certainly am not going to challenge them on it, that is what they have done.”
Hansen termed Les Bleus as a formidable unit and called their match day team selection as their right to do as they deem fit. He added, “You've just go to allow them to do what they think
is right for their team and they've done that.”
Hansen cited the example of selection of the All Blacks utility backs’ player on the wing to illustrate the selectors’ thoughts. He added that people had similar feelings when his team made
an unexpected change because they found it difficult to accept the move and the underlying intentions, and rather they labelled them as “crazy”.
Steve Hansen added that irrespective of the on-going debate regarding which team will take the field against them, his team is doing their best to prepare hard for the game, which is evident
from their high intensity training sessions. He added that the All Blacks are aware of the history between the teams.
Hansen has strongly denounced the notion of under performing for short-term gains. He confirmed that they want to finish on top of the pool and they will enter in every game to win the game.
France delivered a shocking defeat to the All Blacks in the 2007 RWC quarter-finals. Saturday’s encounter will allow the All Blacks to take the revenge for that defeat.
France match day 22 consists of:
Starting XV: 1. Jean-Baptiste Poux , 2. Dimitri Szarzewski , 3. Luc Ducalcon , 4. Pascal Pape , 5. Lionel Nallet , 6. Thierry Dusautoir (c) , 7. Julien Bonnaire , 8. Louis Picamoles , 9. Dimitri
Yachvili , 10. Morgan Parra , 11. Maxime Médard , 12. Maxime Mermoz , 13. Aurélien Rougerie , 14. Vincent Clerc , 15. Damien Traille
Replacements:, 16. William Servat , 17. Fabien Barcella , 18. Julien Pierre , 19. Imanol Harinordoquy , 20. Francois Trinh-Duc , 21. Fabrice Estebanez , 22. Cédric Heymans
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