Mon 09 Sep 2007Just what the doctor orderedPool D/France 87 Namibia 10:France returned to one
of their southern heartlands and will go back to Paris the better
for it. At times this was like watching Toulouse rather than les
Bleus of Bernard Laporte, which is hardly surprising given the
infusion of youth, zest and speed of eight Toulouse players in the
starting line-up reinvigorated the Dad's Army that had
malfunctioned on opening night."C'est vraiment grave, docteur," had run the L'Équipe
headline in assessing Ireland's poor health, but, as expected, this
was just what the doctor ordered for l'équipe francais. The
escape from their "Marcatraz" base to the Toulouse rugby furnace
had seen the pink city rally to the cause.