I agree with BB's sentiments that team's must be judged on results not on 'potential test lineups' such as people are so keen on doing with theblikes of Tonga and Samoa etc.
However, I also agree with teh sentiment that rates the French at no. 4 in the world even though they've taken their fair share of lickings over the past few years.
However, by 2006 they will be only the fourth world nation running a fully profesional club outfit and the sheer size and structure of the French league means they must be judged as fourth best. By 2006 their results will show that too, I'm certain.
Lebanon crushed the best - the best - French Test side in 2002. They then handily defeated a mixed French side (officially billed as 'France', as oppose to the 'Blue XIII' that did well against the Kangaroos on the same weekend.
This year they crushed a side featuring Cedric Gay, Rachid Hechiche, Aurelion Cologni, Fab Estabanez, another veteran international prop (name....??!!), the two gun props Martins and Casty and the best French youngster ofg the modern era......ooooh, I've forgotten his name, he played lock v Oz! Not an Espoir side really, but certainly not the Test team, I grant you.
I would say that as PNG don't really play Lebanon demands the respect of RL fans for doing things, getting rtesults and spreading the code, and for those reason deserves to be considered as fourth best in the world.
