Thibaud Flament, was preserved last weekend during the match in Scotland, the first of the preparation for the World Cup-2023. This Tuesday, he did not hide his impatience to return to competition.
“We said it to each other, the end of the championship is far away now. We did a lot of preparation, we can’t wait to play, it’s starting to itch a little, ”said Flament during a press briefing in Capbreton where the XV of France continues its preparation. “I’m happy to start and I hope that we will do a good collective game, that we will succeed in doing what we want to put in place, be very clean, very coherent, constant on the whole of the game”, continued the Toulousain who will find a good number of holders of his club (Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack, Cyril Baille, Thomas Ramos, Julien Marchand), also exempt from the trip to Murrayfield, alongside him on Saturday at Geoffroy-Guichard .
Accustomed to wearing the number 4 with the champions of France, Flament will start with the 5 in the back, due in particular to the small problems encountered in recent days by Paul Willemse and Romain Taofifenua, still spared Wednesday during the high intensity training which took place in the heat of the Landes. Passing to the right of the second row will not be a discovery for Flament who started in this position during the 2022 Autumn Tour against Australia and South Africa, already being associated with Racingman Cameron Woki.
“I will mainly talk about Australia because against South Africa, I was released a little early (in the 32nd minute because of a concussion), he said with a smile. I was quite happy with my match, I had done the job of number 5 well. It was a big personal challenge because it was the first time that I was number 5 in the France team. I had taken up the challenge well and I am trying to prepare myself in the same way for this weekend”. On the specificity of this position, Flament explained that “the biggest adjustment is on the scrum. But I’m used to pushing behind »Doudou« (Dorian Aldegheri) in the club and with Uini (Atonio), I’m pretty comfortable behind him, it should be fine.
“Thibaud can become a very good number 5 like a very good number 4, even a very good third line”, summed up the coach specialist in the touch Karim Ghezal, hardly worried about the quality and the reliability of this team.
