Le capitaine approves

By WYNNE GRAY

For someone who has only been in the country a few days, Fabien Galthie is breezy and chatty.

His eyes are bright, he is witty and patient enough to indulge the media for some time. He has a strong grasp of English and does not try to hide behind any Gallic shrugs or 'je ne sais pas'.

The French halfback and captain could have been excused for limiting his time after the arduous journey from Argentina and the preparation needed for tomorrow's test against the All Blacks.

Those in attendance were fortunate, according to some of the French journalists travelling with the side. Despite Galthie's deserved reputation as the rugby force who binds his side, he is reputed to be moody and often difficult.

But not this week in Christchurch. Perhaps it is the proximity of the French settlement of Akaroa which has invaded his system or some alignment of the stars, but Galthie is effusive and complimentary of most things New Zealand.

"We have visited the countryside and it is very nice, very nice,' he said. "There is no stress, there is the sea, the mountains, what do you want, I like this country."

Everything from the climate, to the ecology, the rugby and the relaxed lifestyle gets his approval - everything except the food. Nothing, he says, can take the place of French cuisine.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry about that," he says with feigned distress. "I cannot speak about that (the food) as a Frenchman."

But apart from that, New Zealand was "like a small paradise".

Were it not so far from France, he would like to have visited more. It was so much nicer than travelling, say, to Spain but the distance was prohibitive. However, that obscurity was also part of New Zealand's attraction, it was able to preserve its beauty.

This is the fourth rugby visit to New Zealand for the halfback, his first came when he sat on the bench in the second test in 1994 when France scored a thrilling late try to win the test at Eden Park.

He has played against the All Blacks five times in Europe and nothing, he said, matched competing against the men in black. They were the benchmark, they were a legend in world rugby.

"When you are a young rugby player, about seven, eight or nine, it is a dream that you play the All Blacks. So when you play them, you play with your spirit, you have the greatest respect for them.

"It is not just another team, it is a special team."

Galthie remembers swapping jerseys with Justin Marshall after his side's 42-33 victory in Marseilles in 2000 squared the series and feeling the charge of power when he put on his rival's shirt.

"When I changed the jersey I felt like I could play a new match."

The 34-year-old's assessment is a massive statement from someone expected to play in his fourth World Cup later this year and who has been credited with reviving France under the tutelage of coach Bernard Laporte.

Logically, he said, it would be difficult for France to win tomorrow after losing twice to Argentina in recent weeks. They faced the problems they did when visiting with an understrength side in 2001.

The demands on his side remained the same as they did for every international.

France had to get their scrum, lineout, defence and support play in order and keep applying pressure. Then, and only then, could they start to invent and explore their attack. The basics, though, had to come first.

Spoken like a true captain of any test side and one who understands all the vagaries of international rugby since claiming his first cap against Romania in 1990.

Galthie was voted World Player of the Year last season and is back in command of the French after some troubling injuries during the Six Nations series.

He did not know much about his opponent, Steve Devine, but remarked that anyone who was capped for the All Blacks had to be a fine player.

An accountant by training, Galthie brings that analytical eye to his rugby, he is methodical, demanding and always looking for an edge.

His contract with his Stade Francais club in Paris is over, he has not signed with anyone else and envisages completing his career somewhere in Australia sometime in November.

But Galthie is not assuming he will be at the World Cup.

Presumption was a rugby player's enemy.

"We never know, we never know about selection and many things. It has to be day by day."

Fabien Galthie

Born: March 20, 1969

Height: 1.8m

Weight: 83kg

Club team: Stade Francais

Test debut: v Romania, Bucharest 1991

Test caps: 56, nine tries