Eden Park: Will host France in three tests next June
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The All Blacks kick off their 2013 home schedule with a rerun of last year's World Cup final as they host France at the same venue in June.
Unveiling their fixture for the new year, New Zealand revealed they will face last year's runners up in a three-match Test, starting on June 8 at Auckland's Eden Park, then in Christchurch on June 15 and New Plymouth a week later.
The All Blacks then play Australia in Wellington (August 24), Argentina in Hamilton (September 7) and South Africa in Auckland (September 14) to defend the Rugby Championship they won this year.
They end the home season with a Bledisloe Cup tie against Australia in Dunedin on October 19.
New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew said the mercurial French promised to provide a stern challenge for the All Blacks as they seek to avenge last year's 8-7 defeat.
"I am sure fans will be especially excited about France returning to Eden Park on June 8 for their first match-up with the All Blacks since that pulsating encounter ... last October," he said.
Tew added it was the first time New Zealand had hosted seven home Tests since 2008.
The All Blacks' 2013 domestic Test schedule:
June 8: v France, Eden Park, Auckland
June 15: v France, AMI Stadium, Christchurch
June 22: v France, Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
August 24: v Australia, Westpac Stadium, Wellington
September 7: v Argentina, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
September 14: v South Africa, Eden Park, Auckland
October 19: v Australia, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Comments
Toulousain says...
no ferdie mon ami. that's exactly the point. we don't want to play straight off the plane. as the ABs know all too well, there be dragons. hence why they plan ahead and fly into edinburgh 2 weeks ahead of the game. i wasn't going to cut and paste the whole article. but that's what it says. travel is debilitating.
i only wish the french were able to do the same. but we can't. because our clubs have too much money. and they make the rules. not our national team. which is really a BaBas team. for reasons explained to death below and on other france articles.
anyhow, as i said, good luck in the upcoming tests and see you next year at eden park. one day, hopefully, if we start losing games 60-0 like the irish, the money men and politicians who organise the game in france will finally wake up and change things. our problem is that, despite the scheduling, our players are still talented enough to only lose by respectable amounts. more fool them!!
yours ever
t.
:-)
Posted 08:33 10th November 2012
Ferdie says...
Toulousain - good of you to provide half a quote in support of your 'evidence' of '14:17 06th November 2012' - I thought it read wrong, and found the article, which goes on to explain just why the early arrival was justified - the para you quoted is an intro question, not an answer. Try to read more than one paragraph!
Mentions 37 hours travel, for players from lower south island you can add more to that. Anyway - whose business is it, you want a 'sackcloth and ashes approach' in the pro era and play straight off the the plane?
Posted 02:25 10th November 2012
Toulousain says...
ok chaps, we'll agree to disagree then. it's ironic though. you talk about player numbers and money as though they were "success" factors. you like to spin it that AB success is "despite" not having these elements. it's your national identity at play again. the small nation at the end of the world that punches above its weight. i would respectfully suggest that AB success actually has some correlation with that sense of national pride and identity (which in turn derives from having fewer players and less money)....but what do i know?
all i can say with certainty is that, here in france, we have those very things you claim are important (i.e. money and player numbers). the result is that we have all powerful clubs who are so "high" on TV audience $$$ that they can bribe players to NOT represent their national teams (eg Fiji, but also France). we have a club season that stretches so long, elite players are being asked to play 44 games per season. you say these are "excuses". you use that as a punchline. as though we french are somehow "whingers". but we live this capitalist horror story every day. it breaks our hearts. rugby people around the world mostly understand the unique dilemma france is in. some commentators allude to it by saying no-one knows "what france team will show up". others in the press are less flattering. everyone has their POV. but pls, when you form your POV, pls do your research first.
....and, on the subject of money, be careful what you wish for......
Meanwhile, best of luck on the NH tour. Go well I will be cheering for the men in black.
Posted 08:52 08th November 2012
SBWAllBlack says...
I find all this talk about disadvantages quite interesting, here is a link that describes the number of registered rugby players and percentage of senior players available to rugby playing nations.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yeSN53py7PI/TmXJ4UMiD1I/AAAAAAAAAgs/54kHw_zo9AY/s1600/IRB+Player+Numbers.jpg
I'd say any disadvantages that the French state are quickly proved insignificant considering the CONSIDERABLE advantage they have in player numbers and investment available when compared to NZ or similar sized countries like Wales and Ireland (who beat them regulary without the variable of travel to cloud reason!). Or should we bring up the considerable disadvantages that Tonga have compared to France???? I wouldn't be very proud of being ranked 5th if I was French and I find it a bit rich to blame it on scheduling.
Posted 00:29 08th November 2012
kitch says...
ferdie
your right there.. if it isnt paddy its ritchie, if it isnt ritchie its the ref, if it isnt the ref its the media hassling them, and if its not the media then its an irb conspiracy..and now its the scheduling and time zones!!... (have i missed any out?) anything but the obvious.. the ABs are simply consistently more skillful, better mentally and physically and despite our small player base, have more depth. Teams who concentrate on making such excuses are waving the white flag already and are not fully concentrating on their own game and do so at their peril.
do the same excuses apply to the french 7s side or even their junior side?
while certain factors may make it a harder task to beat the ABs, teams have done it before and the ABs have certainly beaten the odds and punched way above their weight more often than not.. esp on our NH tours!!
Just imagine how good we would be IF nz had the same resources financially and player wise!!
Posted 18:51 07th November 2012
Ferdie says...
get your excuses in now for 2018!
not as if these tours happen at a moment's notice - the IRB fixtures list 2012-2019 was issued 2010, including France to NZ in 2013 and 2018. Fixtures through to 2022 are 'pencilled in' . . . plenty of time for touring unions to sort their schedules.
Posted 10:44 07th November 2012
Ramage says...
Trinuts me an Aussie never.Even if I wanted to your racist immigration laws will never allow mw to be an Australian Citizen. Lol I can vote in NZ and UK where I no longer live but not in Australia where I do. They take my taxes but dont allow me to vote. A very intersting and woeful place that believes its a democracy. Even your own State is preparing legislation which will discriminate against NZers who hold the special "Howard" visas. Was John Howard related to John O'Neill?
Posted 16:13 06th November 2012
Toulousain says...
On the subject of preparation time before long-haul flights, this from the NZ herald.....
"Like many in New Zealand I'm sure, I wondered why the All Blacks needed to have such a long down time in Edinburgh before the first test on their end of year tour. Having 10 days in the Scottish capital before they laced on their boots on for combat at Murrayfield, seemed, even by modern standards of preparation to be a shade excessive. After all, they had been together for large chunks of this season and only Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Dane Coles were new tourists." etc etc.
Another basic fact for you kitch. Time zones work against the French going to NZ (just like they work in NZ's favour going to Edinburgh). You realise that, right? So we take off on Sunday after the T14 final but land on Tuesday, all ready for a sleepy day and sleepless night. Still should be almost ok by our first (and only) training run on Thursday, before some video work and captains run on Friday....
Hmmmm, the first Test at Eden Park will be really competitive......
Still, nothing you like more kitch than a proper old fashioned thrashing of the French, eh? That should put a smile on your face! Just don't seek to understand why. That's a little too much to ask. Might spoil the fun.
Posted 14:17 06th November 2012
Toulousain says...
kitch, once again a helpful comment!
You seem to have deliberately missed the point. We all know the ABs have the best record of any team, in any sport, for over 100 years. So, number of players/population size does not correlate with success. It's a factor, at the margin obviously, but not decisive. That's exactly what the others here are saying too. Just read what ramage, ferdie and others have said.
If you wanted a good example of how, in France, it's the clubs that own the players, control the schedule, dictate terms to the national team etc etc (which is what we French don't like, because it impacts our national team results), look no further than Simon Mannix's comments about Racing Metro and the Fiji players not released for RWC2011.
If, and it's a big IF (and don't worry because it will never happen) the French had a similar set-up to NZ, we would be far more competitive. Dare I suggest, given the one point difference btw our teams in RWC final, any improvements, even marginal, might have changed that result?
That would have been "embarrassing" as you say....
Posted 13:28 06th November 2012
7ton says...
trinats2
If you were Pinocchio your nose would stretch right across Suncorp by now
Posted 11:25 05th November 2012
kitch says...
rosbif/miladiou
whats the most incredible fact is how despite having 3-4 times the amount of players, the french and english record is rather embarrassing at all levels of the game.. hence the need to come up with such pathetic excuses.
Posted 16:54 04th November 2012
Ramage says...
@ miladiou Instead of whinging take a good hard look at the situation. Once again you sit there and make statements about the situation here. Yet from what you say it clearly shows you have no idea of what happens here. I ask you to look carefully at what Ferdie has quite correctly posted about the last test series. Next year is no different. Worse was Australia after John O'Neill's fatal blunder scheduling the Scottish test 3 days after a round of Super Rugby and 4 days before the Wales test. Little time to get them together.
Instead of bleating it seems France have to look at their window of when test matches are played and do some reorganisation of their competition. So please don't misrepresent the situation here. You are talking through a hole in your head. If it is felt that the club competition is more important than International Rugby only France can decide that . Once that decision is made then it is no use moaning about level playing fields. Perhaps the Chairman of the IRB can convince other countries to change the playing window but somehow I don't think there will be much support.
I dont doubt the problems that are there for France but as others have said the French, NZers and the rest of the Rugby Nations knew France was touring NZ in 2013. We also knew the dates would be those that have been set and as Rosebif has very well set out, unless the French Rugby Union change the dates of their competition then that time frame is what France have to endure. Instead of blaming NZ you need to look closer to home. The choice is over to France as it's they who can change the start and finish of their competition, or when games are played. If they want to give their side the best possible advantage forward planning is needed. NZ can't be held to blame if the French clubs want to import players to their competition. Though many NZers will want to come over.
Posted 15:09 04th November 2012
Rosbif says...
thks miladiou. just realised T14 is 26 regular season games + 3 knock-out rounds which I left out, so 29 total. But autumn and 6N tests are played on T14 weekends, so we shld avoid double-counting. And Picamoles gets rested by Noves occasionally, eg for away games at Clermont or Toulon which ST are unlikely to win. But the point remains. PSA never gets his players more than 4 days before a test match. And most guys are playing 40+ games in a season. Ouch!
Posted 09:18 04th November 2012
ferdie says...
Miladiou "not one All Black will play even 2 weeks before the 1st test."
In 2012 no players had a break as you suggest. The squad convenes on the Monday prior to the test.
Put simply, you are wrong.
This year the weekend before the first of the three test series v Ireland, just an example from one match seven days before a test, the following played in Crusaders v Highlanders: Ben Franks, Luke Romano, Samuel Whitelock, Richie McCaw . Kieran Read, Dan Carter,Zac Guildford , Israel Dagg, Owen Franks and Andrew Hore , Adam Thomson, Aaron Smith ,Tamati Ellison and in Blues-Chiefs: Tony Woodcock, Ali Williams, Ma'a Nonu, Piri Weepu, Brodie Retallick, Liam Messam, Aaron Cruden, Sonny Bill Williams,
Get back to us with your list of players who had at least a two week break. Not the way it works, and won't be any different this year.
Posted 23:29 03rd November 2012
miladiou says...
@Rosbif - great post as I really think most SH fans have no clue how much rugby French Internationals play. More than practically any other pro players on the planet. NZ and Aus players are centrally contracted and loaned out to play. They get huge amount of prep time and rest and it shows in results.
No wonder France loses most games in November. We have 1 week to prepare and the SH teams have been together pretty much since August!!! Thats longer than France gets to prep a World cup! There is no contest - 1 week vs 3 months. I fact I would suggest it is a virtual miracle any NH team can beat a SH team with such a disparity in prep time. International rugby is totally skewed. Its France's own fault but that is the price for having the no1 club league in the world.
And that's the other issue. In Top 14 80% of starting fly halves are foreign and 80% of Tight head props are as well. It is very impressive we are even in the IRB top 10 let alone 5th.
Posted 15:12 03rd November 2012
Rosbif says...
@Miladiou and others. I'm not going to pretend I understand how SH sides prepare for tests. But I can give you some simple mathematical facts about the French calendar, and how it is totally inappropriate for helping prepare the national side.
Let's take one example. Louis Picamoles. Arguably the best current no8 in NH. Plays for Toulouse and France.
His last season finished in Argentina on June 23rd, his 42nd game of that season. His first pre-season game in T14 was July 28th. So he had 4 weeks off to get ready for this season, which looks as follows....
3 pre-season T14 games
26 T14 games (if ST gets to final)
9 HCup games (if St gets to final)
3 autumn tests
5 6N games
3 summer tests vs NZ
So 46 games (not counting pre-season) if he doesn't get injured.....
Do we really think 4 weeks off is enough to get ready for this marathon, to rest, go under the knife, eat some creatine, do weights, prepare physiological and dietary goals for the season etc etc?
The guy has been waiting 3 seasons to have laser eye surgery so he doesn't have to wear contact lenses. But the recovery for such a simple operation is 6-8 weeks. That's a laugh. He's never going to get 8 weeks off.
Anyhow, that's a long way of saying "don't expect the best French players to be up for much of a fight come June 2013".
I've pencilled in 3-0 to NZ.
(And it's not the same as the Ireland boys this year, who got to rest most of the Pro12 season, and flew out to NZ a week early to prepare)
The only time the home nations grudgingly recognise this disparity is when they try to ask for Lions players to be made available. Ha... Welcome to our world!!
Posted 13:10 03rd November 2012
Trinats2 says...
Ramage:
It is now a swear word in France after he robbed them in the final.
Afrikaans ??? more like Craig - English (Maybe ?) and Joubert - FRENCH !!!
Actually for a Kiwi that was pretty good, although you are nearly and Aussie now !!!
Posted 11:56 03rd November 2012
Miladiou says...
@jaystarr
You have to be joking. Hansen chooses when to release All Blacks and unless its Super rugby finals not one All Black will play even 2 weeks before the 1st test. You guys have it right but Rosbif is right international rugby is not a level playing field. France are bottom of the pile in terms of access to players. The Top 14 does cheapen international rugby correct its a shame but in France it seems club before country like English football.
Just imagine if France or England had as much access and time to prepare as tri nations. I would suggest France / England would be in IRB top 3 and be the teams to beat. So you Kiwis especially should thank the Top14 for helping you claim to be No1.
Posted 09:38 03rd November 2012
tha_mai says...
Miladiou - surely the team will be announced several weeks ahead of the finals weekend? Up to clubs and FRU to sort that one, this tour has been confirmed for some time.
As for French B or C - taking ot too far; from the Top 14 I watch the best team to come out of France would consist mainly of ex SA, England, Australia and NZ players (Chris Masoe!).
Posted 07:50 03rd November 2012
bigb6969 says...
Miladiou - Why don't France change their schedule ? Are they cheapening international rugby, do they not care.? These schedules have to fit in with SupeRRugby., it is not just decision made by New Zealand rugby. Aren't French clubs not releasing British player early for the Lion's tour they not being very helpful are they ? Trying sabotage the Lions.
BTW - these weekends are the same weekends the Irish played last year.
Trinats2 - Sincero Any one who looks at the history of the rules of rugby it is often been changed to stop NZ, who's dominance of world rugby happened well before Paddy O'Brien came on the scene.
Paddy O'Brien is not on the scene now is he, seems no change in results. Did he not not oversee and defend the disgraceful Wayne Barnes in 2007 that put the All Blacks out of the RWC that year? LOL the ABs statistical superiority was several levels more than the French in 2007 (eg 07 possession 65-35 NZ, 2011 Fr 54-46, and every other measure) yet you do not view this disgrace as a "fix"!! but you think it is in 2011. NZ score double the points of France in the tournament, a team that lost 3 matches, barely beat a team down to 14 men for 70 mins in the final, just who put in the fix to get France to the final ? Did O'Brien organise Rougerie to get off with his headbutt and eye gouging with a zero week suspension
Posted 05:57 03rd November 2012