2007 Rugby World Cup quarter-final: France 20 New Zealand 18 - Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
This is tricky. To begin with, to be a fan or not to be a fan? The late great RTÉ football commentator Philip Greene never disguised his love for Shamrock Rovers, although he steadfastly maintained the apocryphal anecdote about him – "Oh f***! Rovers have scored" – was totally untrue. But he also maintained that being a fan was preferable to not being a fan. Because it showed a passion.
So we’ll go with that then.
On which basis, Johnny's drop goal is probably my favourite. Or maybe Rog's? Or was it sealing the Grand Slam deal in Twickenham so emphatically? Or was it clinching the Slam in Cardiff so bloody dramatically in 2009 to bridge such a long, 61-year gap? Or even the 44-22 turning point in 2000 against Scotland, or the Great One's hat-trick in Paris a few weeks later? Or the wins over the All Blacks? Or the Six Nations Super Saturday? And so many others.
The dilemma here is choosing one Irish moment over another. Too much emotional investment. They were more enjoyable when they were over.
Likewise the provinces – Munster’s Miracle Match or finally reaching their Holy Grail in 2006? Or Leinster’s comeback against Northampton? Or Ulster’s first success and not forgetting Connacht’s seismic Pro12 win?
So let’s look beyond all those, and the sporting heroes that I’ve been blessed to see – Ali, Blanco, Federer, Maradona, Messi, Arsenal but not, alas, Georgie – as either fan or reporter.
All those parameters in place then – as well as being there – France’s inspired World Cup semi-final comeback win over a Jonah Lomu-inspired All Blacks in 1999 sets the benchmark. From 24-10 down early in the second-half at Twickenham, they won 43-31.
But, if anything, France’s inspired win over a previously rampant All Blacks in their quarter-final in Cardiff eight years later was even more intense and more compelling. Thousands of words spring readily to mind without even recourse to Youtube or the match itself.
It’s largely about context.
During the pool stages, witnessing France's win over Namibia in Toulouse (when the roar for Sebastien Chabal's try from halfway was spine-tingling) had been a welcome antidote from Ireland's utterly, unrelentingly grim expedition.
By then however, France had already lost the tournament opener in Paris against the brilliant Pumas, before a nervous win over Ireland condemned them to a quarter-final against New Zealand.
Absolute pomp
The All Blacks had won 44 of their previous 47 Tests, whitewashing the Lions in ’05 and winning three successive Tri Nations. In the year prior to the tournament they had beaten France by 47-3 and 23-11 away and by 42-11 and 61-10 at home.
Richie McCaw and Dan Carter were in their absolute pomp, as were Tony Woodcock, Anton Oliver, Carl Hayman, Jerry Collins, Byron Kelleher, Mils Muliaina and the free-scoring wingers, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Joe Rokocoko. Even the All Blacks have rarely been hotter World Cup favourites. France were a speed bump.
Going into that quarter-final the All Blacks had scored 46 tries and 309 points in four pool games against Italy, Portugal, Scotland and Romania; their closest 'contest' being the 40-0 win over the Scots.
Meanwhile the French were being, well, very French; effectively tearing up the four-year plan with each game and starting all over again. Bernard Laporte had made eight changes from the opener against Argentina for the game against Ireland, and then made four more for the quarter-final.
Their inside centre and occasional outhalf, Damien Traille, was picked at fullback for the first time in his 50th Test start! He thus became their third fullback of the tournament, while Lionel Beauxis was their third outhalf.
Yet French journalists who know their stuff approved. Beauxis and Traille would give them a strong kicking game. Furthermore Warren Gatland, writing in these pages, had maintained all along that France losing to Argentina could well prove a bad result for the All Blacks.
There was also something in the Cardiff air before that 9pm kick-off. A black army had just descended on the tournament, but there were plenty of French fans, while most neutrals would increasingly adopt Les Bleus as well.
For the pre-match anthems the French lined up as a human tricolore in red, white and blue t-shirts. Cleverly, they had darkened their blue ‘strip’ for the tournament, probably with the All Blacks in mind. The toss of coin for changing jerseys meant New Zealand wore grey, which made them look altogether less intimidating!
Chabal, named on the bench again, snarled and bristled during the haka in full caveman mode. Linked tightly alongside him, Thierry Dusautoir just stared ahead with steely-eyed intent.
Still, after Serge Betsen was knocked out and replaced, the All Blacks threatened to pull away as Luke McAllister pierced the French defence off Carter's pass and took a return pass from Collins to power over. Pockets of Irish supporters had confirmed their presence with a first-half rendition of The Fields as Carter stretched the lead to 13-0 before Beauxis, having missed earlier, made it 13-3 just on half-time.
Suddenly fearless
Emboldened, France were suddenly fearless on the resumption. McAllister was binned for blocking Yannick Jauzion’s run onto a chip by Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and Beauxis kicked the penalty. The mood music changed further when Chabal’s introduction roused the French team and crowd .
Within two minutes they were level, a sustained attack culminating in Ellisalde, Jauzion and Clerc moving the ball on for Dusautoir, who would make 36 tackles, straightening through with a three-on-one overlap on his outside. Fashioned and finished in Toulouse, when the French try came, it seemed curiously easy.
At 13-all, Beauxis' conversion hit the post. Yet, as McAlister returned, Dan Carter limped off to be replaced by Nick Evans. Even so, intense All Blacks' pressure yielded a try for Rodney So'oialo, McAlister missing the conversion.
Cue the introduction of Frederic Michalak on 67 minutes as France went for it. Immediately, he supported a half-break on halfway and offload by Traille, which looked forward. On and on Michalak ran, skipping away from despairing tackles, before swivelling 180 degrees and giving the try-scoring pass inside to Jauzion. With Beauxis off, Elissalde's conversion put France in front for the first time entering the last 10 minutes.
Perhaps the All Blacks had enjoyed too much of a romp until then. Wayne Barnes, who would become Public Enemy Number One in New Zealand and didn't referee there until sending off Jamie Heaslip five years later, did not award the All Blacks a late penalty. But such was their muddled thinking that when they belated opted for a drop goal it was from halfway, by Evans, and fell well short.
The last, final image of the game is Elissalde picking up turnover ball and, chased by delirious teammates, cheekily scampering back into his own 22, akin to a little kid having just nicked the schoolyard bully’s last sweet, to thump the ball into the awaiting French fans. Some memento for someone!
In the mixed zone afterwards, I’ve never ever come across such shocked and crestfallen players as those All Blacks as they struggled for a few hushed words. Never.
Well after midnight, as a vast convoy of hired cars passed over the Severn Bridge en route to London for flights the next morning, there was the surreal sight of hundreds of blue, white and red flags fluttering from side windows.
Forgettable final
Back in Paris, while the black army quietly shuffled around forlornly for a fortnight, the thought occurred that the Champs Elysees celebrating a first French World Cup success could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Alas, a week later Traille – turning like a tugboat – was charged down by Josh Lewsey for a second-minute try that completely unhinged France. England, beaten 43-13 by Ireland the previous February and 36-0 by South Africa in the pool stages, had somehow earned a return meeting with the Springboks.
That was a long week to a thoroughly forgettable final.
Hence, ala their semi-final win over Australia in 1987, and indeed after that semi-final win over the All Blacks in 1999, France couldn't back up a big performance a week later.
A little drained, and no fear, and fear is a powerful spur, perhaps the most powerful of them all, especially when mixed with French flair.
Some game though. Some night.
