Kelleher predicts the French will deliberately try to disrupt the tempo of the All Blacks game
By Melissa Davies and Amanda Gillies
The All Blacks have officially launched their Rugby World Cup campaign this afternoon.
They were greeted at Auckland’s Aotea Square with a warm reception.
Meanwhile, former All Black Byron Kelleher has some advice for the All Blacks from his home in Paris, and that is to not underestimate the French.
Kelleher would know, he was in the All Black World Cup teams that lost to France in both 1999 and 2007.
He has been playing club rugby in France since then and he says the All Black losses are still an ongoing joke.
The double losses effectively served as bookends on his All Black career.
Now playing for Stade Francais in Paris he has some insight into why the All Blacks seem to stumble against the French.
Kelleher predicts the French will deliberately try to disrupt the tempo of the All Blacks game and distract the players by getting in their faces.
The All Blacks will play France in the pool matches, meaning they will avoid them in the knockout stages.
“I think that's a great thing and then I’m hoping that we can see them again in the final,” says Kelleher.
“I'm always an All Black and always proud to play in the All Blacks, it's probably one of the best achievements I’ve had in my life and I’ll never forget that.”
But that is not the only memory he will never forget thanks to his French teammates.
“From time to time in the changing shed a word is muttered about the appearances in 1999 and 2007 as well but it's just banter and that's the great thing about rugby.”
He just hopes to have a good comeback for that banter after this year's World Cup.
Kelleher says he will be cheering on the All Blacks from Paris especially when they take on France at Eden Park on the September 24. He hopes it will be third time lucky.
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