Greg Growden: 'French team is a debacle'

France has been called the 'worst team to ever grace a World Cup final'. Photo / Getty Images

The Sydney Morning Herald's chief rugby writer Greg Growden says the All Blacks will thrash a French team who don't deserve to be in Sunday's final.

Writing today, Growden and his newspaper colleagues were quick to write-off France as potential tournament champions.

"The All Blacks should win this by 30 to 40 points, because this French team is a debacle," he told Radio Sport.

Growden's colleague Mike Robinson called the French "the worst team ever to grace a World Cup final".

"Once upon a time, 17 years ago, France came to Eden Park and defeated New Zealand with the try from the end of the earth. Sadly, that grand tradition has been defiled," he wrote. "Les Bleus are leached of colour, a pale imitation of the past."

Sky Sports UK Stuart Barnes said France lack the "gloire" of past French teams.

"This is no time for neutrality. The sport needs a New Zealand victory. Forget the Francophile leanings and the great wines of Burgundy and Bordeaux.

"The game needs to see that the flair of Israel Dagg and Corey Jane and the willingness to play rugby with ambition and not self-imposed limitations, is the winning way."

Meanwhile controversial Sunday Times rugby writer Stephen Jones says the All Blacks just have to turn up on Sunday to win the Rugby World Cup.

All Black management were yesterday vowing not to underestimate their French opponents but rugby pundits have already started writing Les Bleus off.

But Jones, who has not always been the most complimentary of the All Blacks, said the boys in black should have been awarded the Willliam Webb Ellis Trophy on Sunday night, after defeating Australia 20-6.

"There is nothing more for the All Blacks to do," he told Campbell Live last night. "There are no more teams standing in their way who are within a mile of them."

In 1999 France defeated the heavily favoured All Blacks in the semi finals in one of the greatest Rugby World Cup comebacks ever. Four years ago Les Bleus dumped the All Blacks out in the quarter finals.

However, Jones rejected the prospect of a French upset this time around, as the team is wrought with internal disputes and have yet to put together a convincing performance in the tournament.

"This team in New Zealand 2011 is not capable of being any good at all. Their best performance has been against Tonga (in a 19-14 loss).

"I think it is quite possible New Zealand can win by 40 to 50."