Special envoy to Lyon
Should we really play at scaring ourselves? Should we fear, to use the blue words, “the emptiness” of returning home this Saturday, our morale in our socks and the red on our foreheads, eliminated from the World Cup by Italy even before the final phase? This Friday evening in Lyon (9 p.m., TF1), the French XV are actually playing more than their last match of the group stage. He begins to conquer his big dream. The first of four playoff matches that he must now win in order, on October 28 at the Stade de France, to finally lift the Webb Ellis trophy. No more room for error. It’s about conquer or perish.
To reach the quarter-finals and a probable shock against South Africa, defending champion, captain Charles Ollivon and his partners must beat Italy. Big deal. Ten years since the Blues have lost against the Squadra Azzurra, piling up thirteen successes in a row since February 3, 2013, a day of shame in Rome. Okay, the latest one, at the beginning of the year, was a failure. 29 to 24. But it was the opening of the Six Nations Tournament. With French players in full physical charge in preparation for the next meeting in Dublin. Weighted down by this preparation, they had failed to respond in the confrontation and had sunk into indiscipline. An ugly copy, which barely reduces the excellent general average.
Also read: World Cup: should we really fear Italy?
Seven months later, according to the staff, the Blues are this time at the peak of their form. Batteries filled to the brim to tackle the intense obstacle course of this month of October. A Grégory Alldritt, his face ablaze with pride, confirmed it. “I beat my maximum speed this week, I exceeded 30 km/h…” Stumbling at the first obstacle would therefore be the worst. Impossible, we are tempted to say given the meticulousness of the programming over the past four years. More than forty matches and twice as many weeks of training aimed at the same goal: to finally be crowned. And that this final stretch begins without the best player in the world, Antoine Dupont, but with Maxime Lucu, does not change the ambition. The UBB scrum half can also boast, in 17 selections (but only five starts), of having never lost with the XV of France.
Italy believed it was getting closer to the big guns and finally in a position to shake up the hierarchy. The return to earth was brutal eight days ago against the All Blacks. The worst rout in its history (96-17). If anyone should have nightmares, it’s more Ange Capuozzo than Damian Penaud, New Zealand’s victor in the opening match. Of course, you have to remain vigilant when you are a French player. Add more rather than minimizing the danger. Fabien Galthié is therefore in his role when he brandishes the threat of a “big reaction” from Italy, a “wounded beast”. “They are Latins and it is a match where they have everything to gain.” The message has been received. “They have pride, self-esteem. They will want to wash away the insult,” adds Charles Ollivon. “They will be vengeful and want to show another face,” continues hooker Peato Mauvaka. And everyone repeats that “we must respect” these Italians.
Obviously it’s about respecting them. To beat them without trembling. So as not to leave too much strength, too much juice, from the first elimination meeting. As long as you don’t start thinking as soon as the tension rises, the pressure increases. Warrior Alldritt assures that this will not be the case. “No one needed to speak at the start of the week, the whole group is aware that we are now getting to the heart of the matter. Everyone immediately switched to elimination match mode. And we all love it…” So do the supporters. The thrill will intensify, the heart will beat harder. The World Cup is (finally) starting in earnest. And it’s a delicious feeling.
LA COMPOSITION DE LA FRANCE: Ramos – Penaud, Fickou, Danty, Bielle-Biarrey – Jalibert (o), Lucu (m) – Ollivon (cap.), Alldritt, Jelonch – Flament, Woki – Atonio, Mauvaka, Baille. Substitutes: Bourgarit, Wardi, Aldegheri, Taofifenua, Cros, Couilloud, Moefana, Jaminet
THE COMPOSITION OF ITALY: Capuozzo – Bruno, Brex, Garbisi, Ioane – (o) Allan, (m) Varney – Lamaro (cap.), L. Cannone, Negri – Ruzza, N. Cannone – Ceccarelli, Faiva, Ferrari . Substitutes: Manfredi, Zani, Riccioni, Sisi, Zuliani, Fusco, Morisi, Pani.
France
Qualified if…
She beats Italy.
She draws with Italy.
She loses against Italy with both offensive and defensive bonus points and Italy wins without bonus.
