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Wednesday, 3 April, 2002, 09:20 GMT 10:20 UK
Your Six Nations reactions
A crushing 44-5 victory over Ireland hands France their first Grand Slam since 1998.
Where should the tournament go from here?
Not even the return of Keith Wood could improve Ireland's abysmal away form, as France won in Paris with a display of Gallic flair and pragmatism. A less-than-impressive England completed their Six Nations campaign with a 45-9 win over Italy, who now face calls for their place in the competiton to be reviewed. Meanwhile, Scotland edged a scrappy encounter with Wales at the Millennium Stadium, with two late penalties earning them a 27-22 win. Both sides will now have to regroup if they are to have any chance of future success. The fallout from the Six Nations performances could have far-reaching implications for all the teams - where do they go from here?
Is it me, or has the Six Nations lost a lot of its magic? Gone are the days when any of the sides could beat any other and even the players don't seem to get much enjoyment from participating anymore. The Italy- England game was a low-key training exercise, not an international rugby match! Professionalism has got a lot to answer for! Phil, England
France once again showed that they can come up with the goods when it matters - they were always odds-on to beat all the teams apart from England. The World Cup though, will require consistent wins against opposition of varying standards. Will France be up to it? Well, if I had to put my money on a northern hemisphere team I'd probably bank on Les Bleus. Realistically though, the World Cup will go to one of the antipodean duo.
Mal Walker is right. Ireland were pathetic. What about Eddie O'Sullivan's new era? Let's be honest, Ireland, apart from a good performance against a hopeless Welsh team, had a very poor season. They were mediocre (that's being kind) against Scotland and Italy but managed to scramble wins. In the two games that mattered, we were walloped. We have gone backwards since Warren Gatland was disgracefully sacked. Remember that magnificent 40 minutes we produced against New Zealand in November? I'm struggling to as well. It seems such a long time ago now.
We can expect New Zealand to rattle up huge scores against us in the summer. From seeming set-up for a good World Cup next year, we're back firmly in the Second Division, just a wee bit ahead of our Celtic cousins. Well done, the blazers of the IRFU.
It is nice to see Pietro's sense of humour. France beat New Zealand (2001), Australia, South Africa and England (2002) and is still an average team. That gives an idea of the poor level of those teams.
Yes, France are worthy winners of the Grand Slam. As an England fan, it's a bitter pill to swallow. I think the French are back on track with their beautiful style of play and their temperaments in check. Well done Laporte. It annoys me that with an England team as good as our present one, we didn't win the Slam. Roll on the World Cup!
Keith Wood, after the game in Paris, had some wonderful words for the French team despite the disappointment. I wanted to point pout his fair play and humility. When England lost to France, commentaries from both the players and the fans were: "We had a bad day, we did not play well". There arrogance is such that they could not understand nor admit that a better team outplayed them.
At the reception after the game, an English official said during a speech "Congratulation to Les Bleus for beating the best team in the world". With this kind of attitude, England will only set themselves for huge disappointments.
France's Grand Slam was magnificent but should not come as a big surprise to bitter England. Look at the autumn matches and you will see a burgeoning side full of potential. The greatest achievements of this Slam are the ability to concede few penalties, to win scrappy matches, to reach heights when it matters and to come up with a game plan for each opponent (that has to do with humility, England)...
To summarise, to consistently be better than the other side. If they can keep this level of consistency without killing the beautiful game, I see no reasons why Laporte's team cannot be a very serious contender for next year World Cup.
Not only are France worthy kings of Europe but at this moment in time they must rank as kings of the world. Some weeks back, the English press were telling us that England were the best side in the world. That was before France beat them.
To those same people, look at France's record. Not only have they beaten Australia and South Africa but they have also beaten New Zealand the previous year and in the semi-finals of the World Cup. I say "Vive la France" you are true world champions. All you have to do now is to rub salt into the English wound by winning the World Cup - bon chance mes amis!
France are good but I would still pick England to beat them at Twickenham. And a quick look at the stats confirmed that England had the better championship apart from the howler in Paris... and the England result was the best of any of the teams playing in Rome.
The media is guilty of short-termism and it was they that hyped England's prospects before the Paris match... England needs to distance itself from the manic press hysteria that surrounds its performances and work on those away game vapours!
Everyone said the England v Italy game was poor but England has the best result against the Italians! The Italians are improving and they are not the walkover team that they were any more!
Yes the French deserve the title, from the moment Johnson fumbled the kick off in Paris England were on the back foot. World title contenders, possibly, but I'd back England to do better (than France) in the tournament due to their incredible strength in depth.
Wow. Very impressed by the French, disappointed about our level of game but then you have to hand it to French as they kept it from us, piled on the pressure forcing more than usual hand errors.
I think O'Sullivan has some explaining to do...I find it strange as he is still without a scrum coach, where the core problem is. My old dentist, Mr Rollie Meats, is in line for the job, but is not a "friend" of O'Sullivan, so we do without one...I remember this guy, he would be blabbing on while he was working on your teeth, talking of tactics etc, to a six-year-old!
Whilst the French were excellent towards the end of the campaign, the pundits seemed to forget that that they barely beat Wales, and barely beat Italy - the two worst teams of the Championship. France on their day can beat any team in the world (and does), but the consistency of their performance is shaky, if not totally random! Congratulations on the Grand Slam, but I can't see the Web Ellis trophy heading for Paris next year.
France defeat Ireland completely in Paris. England beat Italy in a most unconvincing fashion in Rome. A question to all those English commentators and journalists who until recently were declaring England as number one in the world (supported by the dubious Zurich statistics): Does this now mean France is number one?
I am fairly sure this French side has the potential to win the World Cup next year. Also, the English side could also learn a bit of humility from these guys as well.
I suppose the French could take the World Cup off one of the Tri-nation teams but that will be only be if they get another referee that turns a blind eye to ear biting, testicle pulling, eye gouging etc. And then only if they get another team of All Blacks that lie down and let them do it again. Not this time, I think!
Great performance by France. Their flair and skill were a joy to a watch. As a young talented side, they've got great years ahead of them. Who knows how far they'll go?
What we can see today with this French side is the customary flair, talent and individual brilliance being moulded together with a discipline we have never seen before and a more pragmatic approach to preparation. If you blend that with solid teamwork and a hunger for success, then the southern hemisphere had better watch out next year.
It is also more than noticeable that no one shirks tackles as used to frequently be the case. I couldn't see even big Jonah ploughing his furrow through this French team! Vive La France!
I have to laugh at some of the comments here concerning France being "lucky". France are not so much lucky as consistently good, which means that they do not bottle it when it counts. Three Grand Slams in six years is proof of that.
And the team that France were 'lucky' to beat this year - England - have consistently failed to deliver, having lost to Wales, Ireland, Scotland and France in successive seasons to deny themselves a Grand Slam each time. What price England beating all of them and losing to Italy next season?
VIVE LA FRANCE. On a gagner au rugby et vivement la coupe du monde en juin qu'on va remporter pour la deuxieme fois. Le sport Francais est le meilleur.
Great performances by England and France in the autumn to see off Australia and South Africa. Grand Slam for France, congratulations must go to 'Les Bleus'. As someone who would really like to see a northern hemisphere side win the World Cup, England and France look like contenders, but, they do not travel well. France nearly lost to Wales, and England were turned over at the Stade. Australia is a long way to travel next year.
I wonder how many people, including the English national team, really know the French side and how well prepared their victory was. The quality that sets them aside from the English is their rock-solid belief in "le collectif".
England has too many "stars" and one wonders whether they don't read their own press. On that point, I read this week that Fabien Galthié, a man who knows both glory and defeat, never reads the sports press.
He he, Pietro the Canadian giving France rugby lessons. About that victory over England, I think the reasons for that bad day you're talking about were named Betsen and Magne. And I do think France can be world champion. Inconsistency? Eight victories in a row to go.
Worthy Grand Slam winners? Absolutely. Winners of the next World Cup? Not likely. Yes, France have beaten both SA and the Aussies in the not so distant past, but that was in autumn Tests.
The southern hemishere concern themselves with just two titles: The Tri-Nations and the World Cup. It will again be a captain wearing yellow, black or dark green that lifts the World Cup in 2003.
England went top of the world rankings for a week and made a big deal of the fact. France have won three Grand Slams in the past six years. They have swept all aside this year and didn't they beat Australia and South Africa last autumn? Oh yeah, didn't they finish second to Australia in the World Cup.
So who's the better team?
I think it's not so much of a big deal. France were lucky that they beat England this year in that they had a good day and England had a bad one.
Magnifique! I'm so happy for the youngsters and well done the honorary Bleus (de Villiers and Marsh) and the old stagers (Pelous, Ibanez, Magne) and Capitaine Fantastique Galthie.
A Grand Slam on top of wins over Australia and South Africa would suggest France are right up there. BUT, Tim (Italy) is right. They do not have consistency. If England were to play France 10 times this year, I would pick England to win six or seven.
France showed it at the last World Cup when they beat New Zealand and then were outclassed by Australia in the final. Flair is no substitute for skill and discipline in the long run.
Unfortunately, the French are still 'one game wonders'. There's only one game worth playing in this championship. They won it this time. That's no big deal - it doesn't make the French 'Superbe' or 'Magnifique' - they simply won a single match on the day.
Well done France, worthy winners of the 'Grand Slam'.
PS. Ireland were pathetic.
Yes, we won today and it feels great. But we should not forget our first two games. Against Italy, we were not even good and certainly not worthy of world-class champions. You see, that's what bothers me, as a fan of the Bleus.
How good are they? A real threat at next year's World Cup on Australia's firm grounds if they continue to play the running game.
The French are really quite an ordinary side and in no way will they be World Champions. They played quite well against England - but the English had an unusually bad day then - and you must take into account that they, like the bland and always struggling Celts, play out of their skin (and more) to beat England.
But the problem for France and the Celts is that the world is bigger than England. And in the world the French are just an average rugby team. Everyone over-romanticises with the French, probably because of their 'language of love', however, in the stark light of day they're just the same as they've always been - predictable in their unpredictability, but not World Champions.
France are deserved Grand Slam winners. I was there in Stade Francaise at the pivotal match of the championship. Three major strategies came to the fore: the harrying and harrasing of our own Johnny by Bettsen and Magne; the canny appetite and penetrative play around the fringes by Galthie and well-executed long passes that switched play from one diagonal to the other to spread and split the England defence.
England were not ready for the pace and sheer desire to first unsettle, and then to take advantage of their opponents' unease. That match showed us their appetite, tenacity, flair and skill, and added a further component - their organisation and freedom of thought whilst playing at pace.
Worthy winners indeed! The French have the knack of playing 20% better than the team in front of them. This means they played magnificently against the Irish & the English, and rubbish but well enough against Italy. I hope this will silence the English press, who desperate for success, have prematurely lauded England as potential world champions. France have shown we aren't even the best in the northern hemisphere yet!
England need to play teams of France's skill and diversity more often if they are to stand a chance in the World Cup.
Well done, Les Bleus!
Well done France for showing the old French flair combined with discipline, you are worthy Grand Slam winners.
So all you Irish dreamers, what happened to you foiling our Grand Slam, eh?!
O'Driscoll? I didn't even hear of him! I suppose Damien Traille and Tony Marsh were too good for him and Henderson.
Allez les Bleus! Next title: World Champions!
Magnifique! Absolutely awesome! Of course les Bleus are worthy Winners. And they won the first Grand Slam of the Six Nations short history. And it's a wonderful feeling for the players and their supporters. Merci messieurs!
I'm so happy, we won the Grand Slam. Most importantly, we played very spectacularly during this tournament. The French players give us a lot of pleasure.
Allez les bleus! Allez les bleus! As a Scot living in France for the last seven years I can only say that I have never seen a French side so strong in ALL aspects of the game. The most impressive change in the XV de France is their discipline. Hardly a fault against Ireland, quite a difference to the team 10 or even 5 years ago.
In my (strictly amateur) opinion, this French side are odds on favourites for the World Cup in 2003. As long as they keep to the same standards or, more likely, keep improving with each match..
On a good day, France can beat anybody in the world - their problem is putting in consistent good days. So it is a long shot for the World Cup.
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