Clerc set for a lonely afternoon
France winger reveals French intention
It could be a long afternoon for France winger Vincent Clerc at Newlands on Saturday, as the French set about neutralising the Springbok pack before spinning the ball as we know they can do.
Clerc gave a little insight into the France game-plan, saying that the priority for his team was to get superiority up front.
"We are preparing for a physical confrontation, and we are paring for a game with plenty of kicking,2 said the Toulouse winger.
"I think the match will start very tightly, un jeu dur, because their team fights very hard for the ball in the loose phases. Maybe later in the third or fourth phase, we will look for the spaces to run into, but it is not easy to find those against this team."
When you watch French rugby, it is not always conspicuous that moves are planned that many phases in advance. The French flair is borne out of the will to improvise, an aspect that often makes their club rugby exciting, but as the Heineken Cup this year revealed, also vulnerable.
At national level however, no such risks are taken.
"In French clubs, we only prepare movements for a maximum of three phases in advance, it is a part of the culture and spirit of French rugby," said Clerc.
"But in the national team, the preparation is much more precise for the gameplay.
Clerc will be opposite Bryan Habana, who has a reputation for destructive speed and finishing but is yet to fire during this June series.
Much of the Scottish tactical thinking last week in Port Elizabeth revolved around not letting the ball get wide to either of the speed men, but France are less concerned about that one aspect.
"He is very very fast, and very dangerous in open space, just like Breyton Paulse. The two of them have almost exactly the same profile," said Clerc of his opponent.
"But we do not focus our tactics on any one player. We look at the organisation of the whole team, and focus on our game.
"I hope we will win, and put in a good performance. We have only nine matches before the World Cup, so this is a vital part of the preparation for the team now. Each player wants to put in a good individual performance as well as for the team.
"I think the performance is more important than the result. If we lose but play very well, it will be good enough and it will raise the spirit and confidence of the team. But we also want to win, no question."
