Rugby World Cup: France battling themselves as well as All Blacks

Thierry Dusautoir with France team-mates in 2007

Rugby World Cup quarter-final: New Zealand v France
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Dates: Saturday, 17 October Kick-off:20:00 BST
Coverage: Live on BBC Radio 5 live, plus live text commentary on the BBC Sport website.
"If we don't rebel this week, then we will never rebel," says France head coach Philippe Saint-Andre. Sounds feisty. But rebel against what? All Blacks tyranny? The depressing conservatism of French rugby? Himself?
Saint-Andre's cryptic utterances before Saturday's quarter-final against New Zealand in Cardiff encapsulate the pickle the French national team are in.
Liberation, the French newspaper founded by existentialist philosopher and novelist Jean-Paul Sartre,  has called Saint-Andre's team "world champions of destruction". Not of rival teams, but of a proud rugby tradition and "the dreams of their public". It is a difficult to disagree with the sentiment.
Where France were once joyously capricious, they are now grimly predictable. Big boys up front, big boys out back. Boom! Wherever you seek them, they'll be there. Indeed, if one man symbolises his country's modern rugby philosophy it is centre Mathieu Bastareaud - built like a beer barrel and too often he plays like one, too.
Bastareaud, whom Liberation described as "a symbol of passive dissuasion" during France's chastening 24-9 defeat by Ireland last weekend, has been dropped for the game against New Zealand. The more expressive Alexandre Dumoulin comes into the back-line, but the All Blacks won't lose sleep.
Vincent Clerc in action against New Zealand in 2007
Winger Vincent Clerc inspires France during their victory over New Zealand in Cardiff in 2007

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