France hit out at arrogant England
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SYDNEY, Australia -- France have dismissed as English arrogance a report that coach Clive Woodward has said his team will crush them in Sunday's World Cup semifinal in Sydney.
"Woodward said France was not a problem, we'll see about it on the pitch," said wing Aurelien Rougerie.
"We have always felt a lot of arrogance coming from the English players and their supporters. Woodward can say what he wants, it's good for our motivation."
Lock Jerome Thion said he had been surprised when he heard Woodward's statement on an Australian television channel on Monday evening.
"I was shocked to hear a coach saying such a thing but that's typical English mentality," he said ahead of the showdown at the Olympic Stadium.
"They complain when people say they don't like them but go and talk to Australian people. I don't think they have much love for the 'Poms' as they call them. Maybe they will support us on Sunday."
Hooker Raphael Ibanez, who captained France when they reached the final of the 1999 World Cup, was not impressed.
"I think Woodward likes provocative sentences. He does it regularly against us and has recently attacked Australia.That's his game," he said.
"Let's see if our management will reply. That would increase the pressure and it would be good for everybody because our sport needs passion."
