In Edinburgh
What is your feeling after this victory down to the wire? Fabien Galthié: First of all, it’s a victory in Scotland (16-20), with a fantastic scenario and a week spent with the players who remind us of the values of this game. The week felt like this game. We had a lot of fun all week, we were very happy to be together. And still today. It’s a combat sport, you have to fight. We must accept adversity and fight it collectively with courage and solidarity. What we did this week and during this match. Since last Sunday, it has been a pleasure to prepare in these conditions, with this group. We gained a lot but this period was also extraordinary to experience. We win together, we lose together, we suffer together. We are at the heart of our values in this game. Our path has brought us back to the essentials, to the essence of this game. In particular the scenario of this match in its final minutes.
Were you afraid that the referee would award the winning try to the Scots in the last seconds? The field referee is very well placed. He doesn’t say there is no test. But we are in Edinburgh and there is crazy pressure on him so he asks for video refereeing. We know that anything can happen, we’re used to it, but he confirmed his decision.
How do you experience it? I experience it with great happiness, with great joy. This is not the first time in our individual journeys that we have had, quote unquote, difficult moments. We build ourselves like that, through difficulty. To seek victories in the face of adversity. Afterwards, you don’t have to overdo it. It’s just a rugby match, just sport. But, for us, it is essential. We are the French team and we had to win back. We are all responsible, the players and the staff, for the victory. We are all responsible for the defeat. This is how we move forward. It is therefore one of the greatest victories of our team. At least, that’s what it feels like from the inside.
What did you think of the content your team produced? Honestly, the content, when you’re winning by 4 points in Scotland, I’m fine with it. Given the level of the Scottish team at the moment, the context in which we are – I’m not going to be redundant – I think the content is perfect. For four years, I have been telling you that we are not here to give demonstrations, but to win matches.
Everything was not perfect however, far from it… It’s true that we had problems on the touchline, in the game in the air. But we also posed problems for them. And we score two tries against one, we defend for ten minutes at 14 with one winger less… In the chaos, the team clings to details. With our qualities, but also our faults, we won the match.
Leadership was assured after the early exit of Grégory Alldritt. Is that satisfying? I can tell you about this group of leaders for four years, about these men. Greg falls, Charles (Ollivon) takes control, the captaincy. Julien Marchand has just returned, Gaël (Fickou) and Thomas (Ramos) are there. And the reaction is tremendous. This is a key moment for the consistency of leadership, the leaders managed the end of the match perfectly with many young players who returned to the field.
Comments collected at a press conference
