We can do an terrible lot better.
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Certainly, they have a good base from which to provide their support, because if the accoustics at the All Blacks’ captain’s run today is any indication, the noise from the crowd is likely to be huge.
As we have seen elsewhere in Europe, not least in Scotland, there is a tendency among those most heavily involved in the club game to fail to see the bigger picture and to understand that in rugby in particular it is the worldwide game that provides players with the profile that in turn improves their marketability.
“It will be water off a duck’s back for him”, said Humphreys.
“We’re at the top of the league we played in the semi final two years ago and hopefully we can take that a bit further it’s hard because we have one of the smallest budgets in the league so we’re punching above our weight at the minute”.
For them, he is a blank page.
Sean O’Brien was asked for his two cents worth, too.
“So they’ll try every trick to upset him, but the player he is, the person that he is, I have no doubt he’ll be outstanding this weekend”.
The Pumas would be the preferred choice for many fans and players, but either meeting spells dangers, and O’Connell admits Ireland need as much support as possible.
“He’s obviously another carrier that we can have as well on the field”.
The impact of Toner, Chris Henry and Sean Cronin off the bench was, in fact, one of the brighter aspects to a collective Ireland performance that fell below the usual high standards, though Henderson’s confidence seems unshaken by such stutters.
When a wing comments on another team’s forwards tactics, it is clear that they are widely respected, while one of the men certain to be involved in the line-out is well aware of the quality that Ireland coach Schmidt brings to his teams.
Having taken over from a controversial head coach in Marc Lievremont, whose reign nonetheless summed up French rugby as his side ended his turbulent time in charge by reaching the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand and losing by just a single point to the hosts, Philippe Saint Andre has fared even worse in Six Nations terms, his side suffering the unheard of fate for France in modern times of coming bottom of the table in 2013 and never having finished in its top half.
“And we know just how risky the French are at World Cups”.
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“It’s important for us to use and master these line-outs, as well as all other aspects of the set-pieces, if we want to impose our (style of) play on our opponents”, France flanker Damian Chouly said.
