Ranking Games
France 10 l. Samoa 42

2008 World Cup Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats]

Location: International > Nations > First Grade Competition: World Cup

Monie calls for a French resistance
Mon November 10, 2008
Source: France Media Manager

French rugby league is not dead and buried according to national coach John Monie, despite the sides disappointing last placed finish in the 2008 rugby league World Cup.

The message from the French head coach is a message of persistence and patience for the once proud rugby league nation, with an emphasis on development and constant international competition the way to get them back to the top level.

Monie said French rugby league needed a shot in the arm in the form of more local teams in greater competitions, as well as turning the game on French soil into a greater nursery for future international stars.

"I think the message to come out of this is they can see where they have got to get to, they need the rest of the rugby league world to help them like making the pool of players for them to choose from bigger by having that second team in the Super League," he said. "They also need to bring the domestic competition in France from being a competition that finishes in April up to being in line with the Super League and NRL."

Monie said the talent pool from France needed to be increased to get them back to an international force, and said despite having some top line players they lacked the depth to succeed in a tournament like the World Cup.

"We're probably the only team that's come to the World Cup with the majority of our team coming from one club side as we brought 12 from Les Catalan," he said. "But when they've come into the national team they've haven't been able to bring guys from that team like Casey Maguire and Adam Mogg and their import players, and we've had to top the side up with guys from the domestic competition."

"Once we bring those players out of the French competition and bring them out here for the World Cup its not just a little step up it's a huge step for them," he said. "It's a big step for those guys which play in the Super League in England but for the guys who come out of that domestic competition it's a quantum leap."

Monie said the French rugby league Federation needed to maintain an aggressive approach to international growth, and seek out more games at the top level between now and the next World Cup.

"It depends on the approach when they go home," he said. "The federation has got to stay strong. They need to want to be in a four nation's competition and they need to play more international rugby league and as I said we need to help get their teams pushed into better competitions."


End of the road for French at World Cup
Sun November 9, 2008
Source: France Media Manager

France has finished their World Cup campaign on a sad note, after a demoralising 42-10 defeat to Samoa has seen them finish in last place of the 2008 tournament.

Samoa started the carnage in the sixth minute when Bulldogs winger Matt Utai scored down the left flank, and extended the margin to eight soon after when Francis Meli scored in the opposite corner.

It was 12-0 after 24 minutes when Ben Teo decided to run the ball on the last tackle, and when Ben Roberts kicked his first conversion it was 14-0 and the French resistance was starting to look shaky.

Samoan centre George Carmont extended the lead to 18-0 after Tony Puletua managed to keep the ball in play with a trademark overhead pass, and Misi Taulapapa scored just before the break to see France down 24-0 at the half way mark.

The Samoan's picked things up where they left off after the break with Ben Teo getting his second try of the match after a short ball from halfback Albert Talipeau, with Roberts's conversion making it 30-0 with 30 minutes remaining.

France had a chance to post some points after finally getting some field position in the Samoan attacking end, but some solid defence from the island nation kept the French at bay and still searching for their opening points.

A mistake from French halfback Thomas Bosc gave Samoa another gift four pointer with 20 minutes remaining, as George Carmont sent Ben Roberts away to make it 36-0 after another Roberts sideline conversion.

It was up to French Captain Jerome Guisset to open France's account when he collected a neat short pass from hooker Christophe Moly, with a Thomas Bosc conversion making it 36-6.

Sebastian Planas gave the French back some pride with his side's second try in the left hand corner, and with just over 11 minutes remaining France were looking for more points at 36-10.

Bosc almost made it another French try after following up a kick, but video referee Steven Clark ruled No Try and Samoa finished the game off with a late try to Tony Puletua.

French Coach John Monie said although he was disappointed with the teams position in the final standings he was happy with their effort, but conceded that his team was probably still off the pace at this level of competition.

"We were probably like all the teams in the second or third pool," Monie said. "We wanted to win our pool and we probably got what we deserved in the second game when we played a Fijian side that was primed up and ready to go.

"I thought we had a lot of points scored on us in that game and in this game it's the first time I've ever coached a team where we only got in their 20 metre zone once in the first half and that's ridiculous stuff. We expected to do much better than that."

SAMOA 42 (B Teo 2, M Utai, F Meli, G Carmont, M Taulapapa, B Roberts, T Puletua tries; B Roberts 5 goals) defeated FRANCE 10 (J Guisset, S Planas tries; T Bosc goal) at CUA Stadium.

Halftime: Samoa 24 France 0
Fulltime: Samoa 42 France 10
Crowd: 8,028
Man of the Match: Ben Roberts (Samoa)

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