'It will be a real war' against Argentina says France prop Poirot ahead of World Cup opener
Record ID:
1433148
'It will be a real war' against Argentina says France prop Poirot ahead of World Cup opener
- Title: 'It will be a real war' against Argentina says France prop Poirot ahead of World Cup opener
- Date: 20th September 2019
- Summary: FUCHU, TOKYO METROPOLIS, JAPAN (SEPTEMBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FRANCE RUGBY TEAM IN A CIRCLE RUGBY FIELD RUGBY BALL REPORTER FILMING VARIOUS OF FRANCE TEAM PLAYING RUGBY FRANCE COACHING STAFF, INCLUDING ASSISTANT COACH AND FUTURE HEAD COACH FABIEN GALTHIE CURRENT COACH JACQUES BRUNEL HOLDING RUGBY BALL FLYHALF ROMAIN NTAMACK KICKING BALL TOKYO, JAPAN (SEPTEMBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS) FRANCE PLAYERS PROP, JEFFERSON POIROT AND HOOKER AND TEAM CAPTAIN, GUILHEM GUIRADO, DURING NEWS CONFERENCE FRANCE RUGBY LOGO POIROT TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE TEAM PROP, JEFFERSON POIROT, SAYING: "We know them (the Argentinians), we won't be surprised of the bravery they will demonstrate tomorrow, of the war they will fight tomorrow, we know it's a team which plays very good rugby and which tries to break their opponent, we know all of that so it's down to us to handle this, we've prepared for it, so it will be a real war tomorrow." REPORTER ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE TEAM HOOKER AND TEAM CAPTAIN, GUILHEM GUIRADO, SAYING: "We've intervened quite a bit during training, on the preparation, on how to approach that game, tomorrow it'll be about motivating and giving out the last instructions, motivate the players around me, feel that they're ready and raise the pressure at the right time. But seriously, what I take out from these last few days is that we're strengthening so it's good and we're looking forward to tomorrow." FUCHU, TOKYO METROPOLIS, JAPAN (SEPTEMBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS) FRANCE TEAM TRAINING MEDIA NTAMACK WARMING UP CENTRE VIRIMI VAKATAWA STRETCHING WITH FULLBACK MAXIME MENARD TEAM TRAINING PROP DEMBA BAMBA STRETCHING TEAM MEMBERS TRAINING BALL ROLLING TOKYO, JAPAN (SEPTEMBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS) NEWS CONFERENCE STARTING WITH ARGENTINIAN PLAYERS AND ASSISTANT COACH ARGENTINA CENTRE JERONIMO DE LA FUENTE NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY WITH FULLBACK EMILIANO BOFFELLI (LEFT), ASSISTANT COACH JUAN FERNANDEZ LOBBE (CENTRE) AND DE LA FUENTE PUMA ON SHIRT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINA RUGBY TEAM ASSISTANT COACH, JUAN FERNANDEZ LOBBE, SAYING: "The first objective of this team is to go to the quarter final and for that it's important to go through four games and be the best of the group. If we can start with a victory that would be much better but the most important is this clear objective which we have built up with the team and which is to go to the quarter final, it starts with a game against France, Tonga, England and the United States and we'll see. To start with a victory is always better." REPORTER FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARGENTINA RUGBY TEAM ASSISTANT COACH, JUAN FERNANDEZ LOBBE, SAYING: "It's important, yes, it's very important, it's the first game of four that we need to handle the best way possible to get into the quarter final, that is the first goal of this team. So I wouldn't want to add any extra ingredient into the game by calling it 'vital'. It;s a very very important game, it's the first one of four that we need to manage to get into the quarter final." JAPAN 2019 RUGBY WORLD CUP LOGO
- Embargoed: 4th October 2019 12:28
- Keywords: Argentina Les Bleus Juan Fernandez Lobbe Jefferson Porot Pumas Guilhem Guirado RWC World Cup France Rugby
- Location: TOKYO AND FUCHU, TOKYO METROPOLIS, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO AND FUCHU, TOKYO METROPOLIS, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Rugby Union,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001AXGMYIN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: France prop Jefferson Poirot is expecting "war" when his side take on Argentina in their Rugby World Cup Pool C opener in Tokyo on Saturday (September 21) in what looks a vital match for both if they are to make it to the quarter-finals.
Poirot expects bravery and fight from an Argentina side which enters the tournament on a run of nine straight defeats.
And he acknowledges that the South Americans have not been as mediocre as those results suggest, with three of those defeats by six points or less to New Zealand, Australia and South Africa this year.
France have battled with form themselves, but a recent pair of wins over Italy and a comprehensive home success against Scotland have lifted the mood, and captain Guilhem Guirado believes they are showing signs of improvement.
Argentina assistant coach Juan Fernandez Lobbe stopped short of saying it was a must-win game for his side, but with Tonga and the United States also in the pool, it most likely is do-or-die for the Pumas unless they can surprise fancied England.
Argentina are known for their swift counter-attacks when winning turnover ball, but Lobbe says they must be wary of a dose of their own medicine.
France are unbeaten in seven of their eight World Cup opening matches. Their only loss came against Argentina in Paris in 2007.
(Production: Lucien Libert) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None