France set to square off against England in tussle for bronze
Stade Toulousain legend shares thoughts on blockbuster battle
Helped his country beat the English at 2011 Rugby World Cup
find themselves contending with a serious dose of the blues on the back of their in the last four at , but the provides Didier Deschamps’ dynamos with the perfect opportunity to dust themselves down and ensure that the outgoing coach signs off on a high.
Les Bleus are gearing up to renew hostilities with the eternal enemy . In the nations’ latest meeting at FIFA’s flagship men’s competition, a quarter-final showdown at Qatar 2022™, the French reigned supreme in a . The intense rivalry between the two countries transcends the realm of football and encompasses all sports. After all, there’s nothing quite like getting one over your neighbour, an idea that would appear to ring particularly true in the world of rugby union.
Former France flyer Vincent Clerc took a trip down memory lane with FIFA to talk about his experiences of the grudge match par excellence. In his nine meetings with Le Rosbif, the 67-capped speed merchant twice came out on top, with the national treasure citing the 19-12 success in the last eight of the 2011 global showpiece in New Zealand as one of the finest hours of his colossal career.
Vincent Clerc: Yes, without a shadow of a doubt. What’s more, the rivalry spans all sports. We’ve not managed to get the better of them on too many occasions, and they’ve put paid to our dreams several times. The thing in rugby is that we come up against them each year. There’s big hype surrounding the Le Crunch clash, which often turns out to be a key contest at the Six Nations. In many of our meetings, there’s silverware up for grabs. They’re a very successful team.
I think that your ego comes into play in matches against them. They’re the one team you simply can’t lose to, particularly on your own patch. There’s a sense of pride, which only adds to the rivalry. You’ve also got the fact that they’ve invariably been one of the sport’s biggest hitters, which as a player just heaps even more pressure on your shoulders. I find that all of the off-field noise surrounding a match always serves to up the stakes.
Yes, there’s a special atmosphere that you don’t always get in other matches and that can cause a bit of tension between the two sets of players. When you’re involved in games against England, the key is to make sure you don’t let your emotions get the better of you and to just go out and play your usual game. It’s also important not to make too big a deal of it.
Things are even more tense in matches in which there’s something at stake, as there will be on Saturday [in the bronze final]. Although France won’t be crowned world champions, securing a place on the podium is not to be sniffed at. The two teams are set to once again go head-to-head in a high-stakes match. And there’ll always be a few words flying around to spice things up.
I think it’s because we’re neighbours, which fuels the rivalry. Despite the proximity, our cultures are very different. You simply can’t afford to lose to your neighbours because you bump into them on a regular basis and you face having to put up with their banter. There are plenty of expats dotted about. We love nothing more than to take the mick out of the English.
It certainly is, but it’s all good-natured. It’s perhaps no longer such a big thing among the players, but there’s always been times when you’re keen to set the record straight after they’ve tried to rattle us in the past. In matches against the English, there’s inevitably one or two memories that come to mind that spur you on to try to topple them. I don’t know if we could go as far as saying that we wouldn’t half mind looking down on them, but that certainly wouldn’t be far off! [Laughs] The players and a coach should have no trouble getting up for the fight. However, when all’s said and done, we have to remember it’s just a game and show respect.
Beating them at the World Cup is such a lovely memory. It was one of those make-or-break showdowns that stand out when you look back on your career. They knocked us out at the semi-final stage four years earlier. It all comes back to the desire for revenge I mentioned earlier, which is passed down from one generation to the next.
As for the match in 2011, we weren’t at our best at the time, and we had a chance to turn things round. Heading home from the World Cup following defeat by a massive rival like England would’ve been so painful. However, we remained true to ourselves and were fully committed. We put in a brilliant performance in a match that was high on emotions. It was an epic contest. Every time France face England, you get the impression that it’s a physical battle as much as anything else, and I can’t see that being any different when Les Bleus take to the field on Saturday.
Sources: FIFA Official
