Former All Blacks No.8 Zinzan Brooke has caused controversy by saying he hopes New Zealand are beaten by France.
All Blacks great wants to avoid Australia in the knockout stages
Former All Blacks No.8 Zinzan Brooke has caused controversy by saying he hopes New Zealand are beaten by France in Saturday's Pool A encounter.
The All Blacks are big favourites to win clash at Eden Park and avenge their shock defeats to Les Bleus in 1999 and 2007.
However with Australia's 15-6 loss to Ireland turning the tournament on its head, Brooke would rather his countrymen lost to France in the pool stages than risk facing the Wallabies in the knockout stages.
"It is the first time that I have ever said this but I want the All Blacks to lose," said Brooke, who is one of the Heineken Ambassadors for Rugby World Cup 2011.
"I want us to lose. I am finding it hard to say that but I don't want us to play Australia in the semi-final."
However fellow ambassador Scott Quinnell believes that it is a game that France will also want to lose.
Speaking on Heineken's online video series,
This is the Game, Quinnell said: "It will be a 0-0 thriller as France don't want win and New Zealand don't want to win.
"We know which France side will turn up on Saturday, it will be the bad one. They want the bad one (to show up), they don't want the fluid one. When you look at it they won't particularly want to win. If they do, then brilliant."
For more insights and analysis from the Heineken Ambassadors into Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand, please visit www.thisisthegame.com
