Mon dieu, ils sont formidables!

By DANIEL GILHOOLY

PARIS - It sounds unusual from a hardened French lock with 70 tests to his name, but Fabien Pelous says he is "scared" of what the All Blacks are capable of when they meet here in Paris on Sunday morning.

Pelous believes New Zealand are one team in world rugby who can win matches through the individual ability of their players.

"These All Blacks scare me because they have talent everywhere," he told French sports newspaper L'Equipe.

Pelous said the French were more professional in their approach now and spent hours trying to plan for every circumstance.

"But these players [All Blacks] are exceptional, you can't plan for what they are going to do, which makes our sport more human. There are always players who do something different, such as the All Blacks."

Pelous said the perfect example was last weekend's test against England when the ability of individual All Blacks, such as winger Jonah Lomu, almost won the game.

"In their team, contrary to ours, individuals are always more important in the system," Pelous said. "In the backs they have great qualities and we saw that when the English were leading.

"Of course, they've got Jonah Lomu, a unique player in the world. At Twickenham he touched the ball four times and scored twice. That's 50 per cent success."

Pelous's first home test was in 1995, against the All Blacks in Toulouse. The 22-15 French victory remains one of the 29-year-old's favourite moments.

"The All Blacks are the history of rugby. They have been the best for a long time. They are like the Brazil of soccer. When you are a New Zealander, it is something very important. Everything is related to rugby."

Pelous was renowned as a firebrand early in his career, but coach Bernard Laporte commented after last weekend's 20-point thrashing of South Africa that the big lock had matured and his discipline had improved.

"I have changed, it is true. Before, I might have set out to hurt the opposition, to walk over them. It didn't worry me at all to do that," he said.

"When I first arrived in the French team I was aggressive and would try anything. Today I have more principles, but I don't regret anything."

Laporte joined Pelous is casting aside any suggestion from commentators that the All Blacks would be easy prey for France.

"Don't tell me they have sent their reserve team to Europe,." he said at the team's Marcoussis training camp, south of Paris.

"With Andrew Mehrtens, Tana Umaga, Doug Howlett, Christian Cullen and Jonah Lomu in the starting line-up, I don't see where the 'Baby Blacks' are," he added, in reference to the understrength New Zealand side who beat France in 1986.

"OK, they gave their chance to young players. But don't make a mistake, the All Blacks are no fools, they are too proud to go on tour ready to accept defeat.

"And don't forget that players that were once called 'Baby Blacks' beat France in the final of the first World Cup in 1987."

Laporte's players also said the All Black players could not be considered second string because of the depth of New Zealand rugby.

Flanker Olivier Magne also predicted that New Zealand coach John Mitchell had probably chosen a side who would help his preparations for next year's World Cup in Australia.

"The All Blacks came to Europe to prepare for the 2003 World Cup," Magne said. "Their new players have been given a chance to prove their worth and I'm pretty sure they will be out for revenge after their defeat to England."

Saracens centre Thomas Castaignede said he had always been "impressed by the in-depth wealth of New Zealand's rugby."

"They have the possibility of bringing in first-class players at any time and they always are formidable opponents."

- NZPA