Thursday, September 22

All Blacks v France – it’s all on, say commentators

Don’t under-estimate the French in Saturday night’s game.

That’s the view of the Maori Television commentary team on widespread comment that the All Blacks v France match may be a one-sided affair.

Maori Television commentator and former French international Tony Marsh says the All Blacks should not take the French lightly. He believes talk that the French are fielding a B side against the All Blacks on Saturday is misguided.

“The French players are telling French media that they’re insulted by the way they’ve been labelled a B team by the media here. I think this is just giving them motivation and setting them up for a big one.

“We of all people should know not to take the French lightly - have we learnt nothing from 2007?” says Marsh.

Marsh will be calling Saturday’s game for Maori Television alongside former All Black Kees Meeuws and Te Arahi Maipi . He’s uniquely placed to give insight on the match – while he grew up in South Auckland, Marsh played 21 tests for France between 2001 and 2004.

“We are underestimating this French team - it’s actually a very good one,” he says. “There’s lots of depth on the bench and they’ll all come on in the second half and up the tempo. Don’t think this result will just appear, you never know what the French can do.”

Marsh says the French decision to replace Francois Trinh-Duc with Morgan Parra at first five, despite the fact he’s never played at that position at an international level, is a strategic decision aimed at giving the French a more cohesive team approach.

““The move at number 10 may be a shock for some in a Rugby World Cup game against the All Blacks, but it’s not uncommon for France to do this. Frederic Michalak and Jean-Baptiste Ellisalde all moved around from 10, so the French don’t think of it the same way as we perhaps do here in New Zealand,” Marsh says.

Fellow Maori Television commentator Kees Meeuws agrees the French will put up a good game.

“Never, ever under-estimate a French side. I can say that from experience. The French never play a B team,” says the former All Black hardman.

“The All Blacks won’t have expected the changes that France have made, this is going to be an entertaining game.”

Maori Television is available on Freeview channel 5 and Sky TV channel 19. It’s also available through the old analogue network with a UHF aerial. If viewers receive Prime TV by aerial, they should be able to tune in to Maori Television. For further assistance, call the tune-in helpline 0800 MA TATOU (0800 62 82 868).

Te Reo is on Freeview channel 24 (a Freeview satellite digital receiver plus a satellite dish are required) and on Sky TV channel 59.

About Maori Television and Rugby World Cup 2011
Maori Television is the only free-to-air channel covering all 48 games, with 16 live matches and 32 delayed coverage matches, and is putting forward New Zealand’s largest commentary team across the Maori Television (English broadcast) and Te Reo (te reo Maori broadcast) channels.

The 27-strong expert team includes three former Rugby World Cup team captains and a combined total of more than 200 international test caps.
The network has also compiled a unique programming schedule for the duration of Rugby World Cup 2011 with rugby at its heart – full programming details are available at www.maoritelevision.com.

ENDS

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