Special Envoy to Saint-Étienne
FAVORITES
The essential is there: the XV of France signed a first victory, in a preparation match, on the road to “its” World Cup. A success in extremis (30-27) against the catchy and sharp Scots. Jostled in the first half, exciting on the return from the locker room, the Blues then experienced – it is their recurring problem – a serious drop in tension which almost cost them the victory. “It was a preparation match, reminded Fabien Galthié. The team was made up of players who hadn’t played together since last March. It was a cover, it naturally lacked rhythm. The Scots have an additional month of preparation. In the end, this success will allow us to work in serenity, after the setback conceded in Edinburgh last week. Everything is not perfect but the Galthié gang knows what they still have to work on.
Their return to the field was closely scrutinized. Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack, guardians of the tricolor game, did not disappoint in Saint-Étienne. Assuming their status as leaders of this XV of France. A sober, efficient and decisive hinge. Like their team, the two Toulousains were jostled from the start by the Scottish rhythm and intensity. But, without panicking, they were able to gain momentum and hurt the XV du Chardon. A full match for the hinge of Stade Toulousain. The tricolor scrum-half and captain was thus untenable upon returning from the locker room, allowing his team to win the Scots. His buddy of the hinge also knew how to round his back, very active in defense, before registering the first try of the Blues. Well served by… Antoine Dupont. Big concern, on the other hand, with his exit on injury (read below).
Fabien Galthié, at the end of the match, remembered the passage of the XV of France in Saint-Étienne in 2001. He started during the demonstration of the team of Bernard Laporte (77-10, 12 French tries) against players from the Pacific. The coach of the Blues wanted to salute the beautiful atmosphere that there was at Geoffroy-Guichard: “It was fantastic! A real cauldron! It is a monument, a temple of French football. It’s amazing.” The Saint-Etienne public will again be able to vibrate during the World Cup, not in front of the Blues, but they will have the chance to attend four matches: Italy-Namibia (September 9), Australia-Fiji (September 17), Argentina-Samoa (September 22) and Australia-Portugal (October 1). Beautiful posters in perspective.
CLAW STRIKES
Of course, you have to digest the intense physical preparation. Admittedly, the Blues lack rhythm. Still, for the second time in a row, the XV of France experienced a big air pocket, a worrying drop in speed. “If we want to find air pockets, we always find them, recognizes Fabien Galthié. Last week was at the start of the second half. Today is around the 60th minute. And maybe even at the start of the match when we were taken by the speed everywhere, in all sectors. Recurring culpable laxity that is repeated and worrying. This time, the band at Antoine Dupont came close to correctional. In these last ten matches, France has “won” only once in the second half, with an average score of 13-15 after returning from the locker room. A certain line of work. In cleaver matches, it could be expensive…
The balance sheet is in the end quite heavy after this second preparation match. Romain Ntamack, Jonathan Danty and Cyril Baille were affected and concern is greatest for the Blues opener, who limped off Geoffroy-Guichard following a clash with Finn Russell. It opens with a “hyper-extension of the knee”, revealed Fabien Galthié who recently confided that he expected to have injuries – and therefore replacements – during this preparation. Still, it would be complicated to have to compose without these three executives of the group.
The tricolor staff repeats over and over again that versatility is essential and that it makes it possible to compose the bench of the famous “finishers”. By choosing to take six forwards and only two backs (including scrum-half Maxime Lucu), some experimentation was to be expected. One of them – announced before the game – was to finish the game with flanker Paul Boudehant in the middle, after Romain Ntamack had come off. With Thomas Ramos who slipped at the opening and Louis Bielle-Biarrey who entered at the back. Ultimately, this corresponded with the decline of the Blues and the mad rise of the Scots. The famous “finishers” have long been one of the strengths of this XV of France, allowing them to keep the score or to tip a match. In the last two matches, they ultimately fell short. They have suffered too much. “You can’t control a team when you don’t control their game. That’s what happened today (Saturday)”, admitted Galthié. To be rectified quickly.