French Win Forecast

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31756, 13 August 1968, Page 17

French Win Forecast

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND. France will beat South Africa in the test series in France later this year, says the assistant-manager and coach of the team that has just completed its New Zealand tour (Mr A. Garrigue).

In Auckland on Sunday Mr Garrigue said his team had improved so much on the second half of the New Zealand tour that victory over

South Africa was now possible.

“Almost certainly the Springboks will have shown an improvement from when we played them at home last year—the results against the Lions would indicate this—but J think we have improved sufficiently in New Zealand to beat them.

“The spirit of our players has greatly improved and the pattern of our play has changed from kicking to running,” he said.

From what he had seen in South Africa last year, and since in New Zealand, the All Blacks this year would have beaten South Africa last year.

The prospects for New Zealand in South Africa in 1970?—“A lot can happen in two years both here and there.” Fine Spirit A few years ago a French team that was down 16 points in a Rugby test at half-time would have been routed. That this did not happen this time was a tribute to the great spirit in the touring team, said the manager (Mr J. C. Bourrier). “On Saturday my boys told me after the game that they were too tense, too nervous in the first half. Then at the interval Christian Carrere talked to them. He told them to forget about losing the test and to think only of how to win it. I was disappointed in the result, of course, but I was not disappointed with the players. I am very proud of them,” said Mr Bourrier. Better Team

There was no doubt the better team had won the test series, the French manager admitted. “Over the three matches I think New Zealand was the better team—but I think the first test at Christchurch should have been a draw,” said Mr Garrigue. Answering a question whether they would agree that the All Blacks could not truly be called “world champions of Rugby,” Messrs Garrigue and Bourrier said they both considered this was probably correct. “New Zealand has won this lap—France hopes to win the next,” said Mr Garrigue.