A clean and solid copy. This is how we could summarize the second consecutive victory of the XV of France, this Saturday in Nantes against Fiji (34-17), a week after the success snatched against Scotland (30-27). This third preparation match for the 2023 World Cup in France is even a good omen, twenty days before the shock against the All Blacks at the opening of this World Cup. Less than 48 hours from the announcement of the list of 33 who will play the supreme competition at home (from September 8 to October 28), some have scored points, such as rear Melvyn Jaminet. Others, on the other hand, struggled, like the center Jonathan Danty.
After two half-hearted preparation matches against Scotland, including a defeat in Edinburgh (25-21), the Blues, whose executives had been left to rest in Capbreton (Landes), thus avenged the humiliating defeat (21-14) in November 2018 at the Stade de France against these same “Flying Fijians”. The performance of this “bis” team was therefore serious and diligent, with three tries in the key (Mauvaka, Atonio, Macalou), even if we would have liked to see more madness.
“With the arrows we have behind”
The XV of France now has an appointment for a final test on August 27 against Australia, before launching “its” World Cup against New Zealand on September 8 in Saint-Denis. At the microphone of TF1, Fabien Galthié appreciated the preparation trajectory taken by his group: “We had two matches which made us progress. We felt that the team had passed into another dimension, already in the week. This performance will help us to continue to prepare and progress. Congratulations to the 23 players because they were very united, lucid and courageous, the three ingredients that were needed today”. Scrum half of the XV of France this Saturday, Maxime Lucu was just as enthusiastic, still on TF1.
We built our game and we were patient. We were cleaner for 80 minutes, that’s what you have to remember. And then with the arrows we have behind, we were able to score. »
This is a lot of reasons for satisfaction for the 30th victory of Fabien Galthié’s mandate at the head of the Blues. This success against Fiji also has the merit of restoring a little balm to the heart of a group affected by the recent withdrawal from the World Cup of Romain Ntamack, victim of a rupture of the cruciate ligament of the left knee a year ago. week. An injury that no doubt hovered in the minds of Grégory Alldritt’s teammates, as they entered the pitch, just like the approach of the “verdict of 33”. All these beautiful people will be fixed on Monday.