Elliott Smith: Newstalk ZB's Voice of Rugby on the Nations Championship clash between France and South Africa

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Pine from Newstalk ZB.

Jason Pine (0:06)

The all-time great rugby tests was played this morning at Stade de France in Paris.

SPEAKER_3 (0:12)

All of a sudden the drop goal may well be in range. Oh, BLBLA says not on my watch.

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Dupont gathers.

SPEAKER_3 (0:25)

And that may well be that.

SPEAKER_4 (0:27)

France can see it.

Just kill it. Kill the ball. They gotta get it out of here.

SPEAKER_3 (0:34)

Luca will do it.

SPEAKER_4 (0:41)

There'll be a party in Paris tonight.

SPEAKER_3 (0:45)

What a phenomenal finish to a remarkable test match.

SPEAKER_4 (0:52)

That one was won with sheer grit and determination.

Jason Pine (0:58)

Yeah, one for the ages in Paris this morning. France, 21, South Africa, 19 Our rugby editor, Elliott Smith, was watching on in the Northern Hemisphere and joins us now. The game's not long over, Elliott. What did you make of it all?

Elliott Smith (1:12)

Oh, utterly absorbing, Piney. Two quality teams going head to head. A clash of styles.

France put on the back foot after half time. South Africa trying to will their scrum to victory. And they got nine scrum penalties out of it. But somehow France managed to cling on. It was a clash of styles. But completely and utterly absorbing. And yeah, there wasn't a perfect game. There were a lot of infringements. I think 25 penalties in total. A number of yellow and red cards throughout it. But in spite of that, it produced a magnificent contest between two sides who, as I say, wanted to play different styles. And that certainly helped give us the kind of contest that we were able to watch unfold.

Jason Pine (1:59)

We've always known that South Africa were good. And I think a lot of us thought, OK, next year, if we can negotiate them in the quarters, we might be on track for the World Cup. Are France better than we thought they were, or have they always been this good?

Elliott Smith (2:13)

I think they've always been this good, but the problem has been we don't really see enough of them with their top talent. And that's the problem when they come down to the Southern Hemisphere in July. They don't often pack Anton DuPont in their luggage or in their squad to head down. We often only see him in the Six Nations. And at this end of the year, other players similar that we don't see come down. So almost a case of out of sight, out of mind. But make no mistake, this French team is very, very good. Think back to the Six Nations game way back in March when they won that high scoring game against England. They're a quality outfit. They play an entertaining brand of football.

Anton DuPont was excellent. He was man of the match this evening in that game. He was named at 10, more popped up at halfback, but just steered the ship and had the reins of it. I think there's been a lot of chat around the world around South Africa being one and maybe New Zealand under Dave Rennie being two in the world. Well, that was a performance from France that makes you sit up and go, okay, there's a definite top three I think in the world at the moment. And France have very much said, hey, don't forget about us because we're right in this mix, you know, 12 months out from a World Cup.

Jason Pine (3:25)

Well, there's a real possibility now, isn't there, that the All Blacks will play France. France stay at the top of the Northern Hemisphere standings in the Nations Championship. Should the All Blacks beat Wales tomorrow morning, which they should, and then beat England next week and France get past, I think it's Argentina they have next week, isn't it? Then it'll be us against France in two weeks time. What a compelling proposition that might be.

Elliott Smith (3:46)

It would be very compelling, absolutely. And I think even if it's South Africa-France rematching in two weeks time, that'll be an enticing prospect on a neutral territory it took in them. But from a New Zealand perspective, absolutely.

To get the chance to test yourself against that best French team, which they didn't get to do in July, I think will be a compelling prospect and will give, I think, both sides of months is heading into Rugby World Cup year. I think if you look at tonight as well, France were missing a whole host of players. They were down to Anton DuPont covering 10, which is probably their fifth choice option in doing so. They had a couple of other injuries around the team as well. So to win under the cosh like that, when they conceded nine scrum penalties in the second spell, I think shows the backbone of this French team when they do have their best players out on the paddock. So if you were able to pit the All Blacks against France next week, 12 months out from a Rugby World Cup, or in a Fortnite time, I should say, it would be an utterly compelling prospect just to see how far this All Blacks team have gone over the last 12 months since that coaching change.