Sport

Kiwis 'bending laws'

France v New Zealand: On the day New Zealand coach Graham Henry announced 10 changes for Saturday's first of two November Tests…

Wed Nov 08 2006 - 00:00

France v New Zealand: On the day New Zealand coach Graham Henry announced 10 changes for Saturday's first of two November Tests against France, the All Blacks were accused of pushing the rules to the limits thanks to the indulgence of referees.

France assistant coach Jacques Brunel said yesterday, "The All Blacks try to outsmart the rules and the referees on set-pieces and rucks and they benefit from a lot of indulgence."

Speaking at the team's training camp south of Paris, Brunel said head coach Bernard Laporte and manager Jo Maso would raise the point with the referees before the two Tests against New Zealand, on Saturday in Lyon and a week later at the Stade de France.

"We have the feeling that it's not the referee who is giving the calls 'Crouch, stop, engage' at the scrums. The All Blacks impose their own rhythm. They don't bend properly and then go straight from 'Stop' to 'Engage'," he added. "Their opponents are kept waiting and when you are waiting before entering a scrum you lose all momentum."

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Brunel also said the All Blacks were flouting the laws at lineouts.

"They catch the legs of the jumper so it's impossible to develop a rolling maul. They did it several times at Twickenham on Sunday," he said, adding New Zealand's loose forwards were serial offenders at rucks.

"Richie McCaw is a wonderful player but to be the great scavenger he is, like Serge Betsen he has to be always on the verge of foul play. He gets three or four penalties per game but should get double," Brunel said.

Outhalf Dan Carter, who scored 26 points in the All Blacks' 41-20 victory over England on Sunday, is retained in the side for Saturday along with captain Richie McCaw, winger Joe Rokocoko and props Carl Hayman and Tony Woodcock.

But Henry said: "We felt it was important to have fresh legs for this match against the strongest team in the Northern Hemisphere.

"It is a significant challenge for our team."

Henry will confirm his bench later this week.

NEW ZEALAND (v France): MacDonald; Rokocoko, Smith, McAlister, Sivivatu; Carter, Weepu; Woodcock, Oliver, Hayman; Ryan, Williams; Collins, McCaw (capt), So'oialo.