Talking Points | infonews.co.nz New Zealand News

With five days to go before the Rugby World Cup 2011 showdown, France's credibility rating with New Zealand's media and pundits elsewhere is not exactly sky high. France's place in the final does not please some people, who would dismiss their semi-final victory over Wales as fortunate in the extreme, after an early red card to skipper Sam Warburton left Wales with 14 men for three quarters of the match. Even the All Blacks and former Wales coach Graham Henry expressed disappointment over Wales's exit. Former England hooker and outspoken commentator Brian Moore was scathing in his assessment of France's progress through the tournament, with their "two defeats, a victory against a weak England XV and against 14 Welshmen ..." Meanwhile, England wing Chris Ashton, largely ineffective in the quarter-final defeat by France, tweeted on the "values of rugby" being ruined by France's victory over Wales. Title drought Then there is the New Zealand press, who understandably worship the All Blacks and convey the will of a nation to see their team break a 24-year RWC title drought. Last Sunday, the Herald on Sunday ran the headline “80 minutes and we're laughing” over a picture of Sonny Bill Williams and Israel Dagg all smiles at training. “French - forget the quality!” said The New Zealand Herald, who gushed: "The All Blacks will confront a flawed French side in the final this Sunday - the perfect opportunity to erase ghosts of the past, and lift the World Cup for the first time in 24 years." It would seem for many rugby followers, Les Bleus are already dead and buried. Even former players, not renowned for extravagant language, have indulged in criticism. Source of anxiety Andrew Mehrtens, the former All Blacks fly half, wrote in The New Zealand Herald that France were incapable of winning the World Cup. But the French have one potent, fear-inducing weapon in their arsenal. Their unpredictability. Les Bleus are always a source of anxiety for the All Blacks and their fans. Defeats in the RWC 1999 semi-final and the RWC 2007 quarter-final have left deep scars. And coach Marc Lièvremont believes the disparaging chorus can only galvanise his team. "It's been a while now that the players are laughing about those headlines seen in the papers in general. It's also what brought them together, and improved their relationships as a group." Ganged up on, labelled the underdog, the French squad has always thrived in such circumstances.  Who knows, the local media could be doing their rugby darlings a grave disservice in dismissing the claims of their French opponents.