Magne talks down French chances
Veteran France flanker Olivier Magne has given Les Bleus just “a one per cent chance” of defeating New Zealand in Auckland on Saturday.
France coach Bernard Laporte has named a massively inexperienced squad for the clash with the All Blacks at Eden Park.
Only five players in the team have any significant number of caps.
Aside from Magne and Raphael Iba?ez’s 88, ex-Auckland Blues prop Christian Califano has played in 70 Tests, Thomas Castaignede 52 and Sebastien Chabal 27.
Laporte had announced 10 newcomers to the side, and added an 11th in winger Jean-Francois Coux when Julien Laharrague was dropped after showing up late for a training session.
And Magne said this lack of know-how could cost dearly.
“We have maybe a one per cent chance and we have to take it,” the 34-year-old told The New Zealand Herald.
“We are playing the best team in the world – but we don’t know, maybe our young players will be the best.
“If we beat the All Blacks this weekend it will be better than when we beat them in 1999.”
Magne has not played for France since last year’s Six Nations, while Califano has been off the international scene since the end of the 2003 Six Nations.
Tour captain Iba?ez and Pascal Pape, the skipper at Eden Park, are the only players who featured in the two Test defeats against the All Blacks in France last year.
