All Blacks delighted with new French XV

Press, 21 June 1984, Page 36

All Blacks delighted with new French XV

NZPA staff correspondent Auckland The All Blacks were rubbing their hands in glee last night at the news that France will field a changed 15 against them in the second test at Eden Park on Saturday.

The loose forwards, Murray Mexted, Mark Shaw and Jock Hobbs, were particularly happy to learn that the French have dropped the No. 8, Jean-Charles Orso, from their first test side and named the uncapped flanker, Jacques Gratton, as his replacement. Gratton’s elevation marks the sole change to the touring side from that which lost by one point to the All Blacks at Lancaster Park last week-end. It was a move which had been considered by France’s selectors since before the first test, but even last night it seemed likely they would resist the temptation to change a forward pack which had consumately defeated the All Blacks in the scrums in the Lancaster Park international. The All Black coach, Bryce Rope, and the captain, Andy Dalton, both expressed surprise when told of the change. Dalton described Orso as one of the best French forwards and said, after seeing him play in a number of

French club championship matches and in several games on this tour, he rated him a very difficult opponent. “He’s very much a New Zealand type player,” Dalton said. “He’s always driving and going forward. I’ve been very impressed by him. I can’t say I know anything about Gratton.” Mr Rope added: “I thought that if they were going to change their loose forwards they would have brought in Pierre Lacans. I thought he played a great game against Hawke’s Bay yesterday and in other matches I’ve seen him play on toiir. “I suppose the change depends on what they’re trying to do. I wouldn’t imagine it reflects a change in tactics because they haven’t changed tactics all tour.” Asked if the change would weaken the French scrum, Dalton replied: “I hope so.” The French coach,. Jacques Fouroux, in announcing the team, confirmed the French were not planning to change tactics

on Saturday. “It’s not so much a change of tactics,” he said. “We are still trying to get as much ball as possible from New Zealand. “This loose forward combination is slightly changed from the one which played at Christchurch because that one wasn’t quite correct.

“It’s really a defensive change. We are hoping to knock the All Blacks down more in midfield because on Saturday they were breaking through there and when they did, they were dangerous.”

Mr Fouroux said he felt the replacement of Orso with the slightly shorter Gratton would not affect the French lineout performance. “Given our performance last Saturday, we wouldn’t really do any worse. You have to remember that there is only 10kg between Orso and Gratton anyway, so there is not that much between them.” He said France would probably be advantaged in that the omission of Orso

would allow Jean-Luc Joinel to take up his specialised position of No. 8. Gratton’s rise into the French team is not far short of miraculous.

The 26-year-old flanker only joined the touring party as a late replacement for the injured Dominique Erbani.

He has consistently impressed the selectors with his performance for France’s midweek team, though he seemed to be trailing in the selection stakes behind the more experienced open side flanker, Lacans.

The French team is: Serge Blanco, Patrice Lagisquet, Didier Cordoniou, Philippe Sella, Patrick Esteve, Jean-Patrick Lescarboura, Pierre Berbizier, Jean-Luc Joinel, Jacques Gratton, Francis Haget, Jean Condom, Laurent Rodriguez, Jean-Pierre Garuet, Philippe Dintrans (captain), Pierre Dospital.

Reserves - Forwards: Bernard Herrero, Pierre-Edouard Detrez, Jean-Charles Orso. Backs: Henri Sanz, Bernard Vivies, Guy Laporte.