How reassured you was this victory? Fabien Galthié: We are satisfied. These are preparation matches, we try to raise the bar compared to what we do during the week. We felt during the week that the team was shifting into a tactical and united dimension. It happened on the ground. We are very happy for the 23 players who took part in this game.
Did you feel your team growing? We played different teams, different game profiles. We managed to mobilize our 42 players. I’m not talking about Romain and Cyril’s injuries. It’s a team that didn’t have a lot of selections but since the tour in Australia, they haven’t discovered the international level. This game showcases players who have worked with us and don’t have many caps. We try to smooth the playing time of each player.
Will this match complicate the establishment of your list of 33 players? If we waited until Sunday to make the list of 33, that would mean that we did nothing for 4 years. There are players who are not going to play the major matches and who can be the heroes. You will have to make a cut. But all these players are part of the France group.
What are your thoughts on Peato Mauvaka’s game that ended up number 8? Sometimes you manage to do everything you planned. Sometimes we don’t make it. This decision was planned, namely to give him playing time in number 8.
What did you think of the match between your centers Jonathan Danty and Arthur Vincent? All our players are starters in their club in the Top 14. For the midfield, we had a challenge to take up. They were there defensively. Offensively, they touched on the things to improve. It was interesting in the preparation. This team can still progress.
A word about your opener Antoine Hastoy…He quickly found the right tempo, the right animation. He had a good foot game and, like the team, he was at a good level. The players are ready, I repeat myself.
Melvyn Jaminet was making a comeback. What happened to you? Like the team, he responded present. Both offensively and defensively. Good warm-up game.
How are you preparing to establish this list of 33 players? We don’t know the road. We have obligations, to go from 42 to 33. But everything is ready. We have two days to formalize a group but everything is ready.
