Blue sky over the XV of France. Sorry for the cliché, but by thwarting the many pitfalls of this opening match against New Zealand, Fabien Galthié’s squad has greatly simplified their lives. Cold, two days after the fury of the Stade de France, emerge a lot of little things that make the victory against the All Blacks even more beautiful.
There is an ambient serenity, already, in which the coach and his staff can prepare for the next matches. Uruguay then Namibia, two nations without reference at international level, present themselves in turn, in Lille on Thursday then in Marseille a week later. The ideal opportunity to rest a few executives, put some players more accustomed to starting on the bench to the test in real conditions and ultimately finalize plans B for the rest of the competition. “These are not games to be taken lightly, warned rear Thomas Ramos on Friday evening. They must serve us to work, to refine our game. ” ” We must take them as we took the Blacks, projected his replacement Melvyn Jaminet, concerned in the first place. All games will be important in their own way. We don’t have the right to relax. »
It is essential, anyway, to let Taofifenua, Vincent, Boudehent, Hastoy, Aldegheri or Macalou stretch their legs when you know the importance of these “finishers” (designation of origin controlled by the staff) in big matches . “It’s a difficult status, but one we’ve been working on for four years. Their role is decisive, we saw it again on Friday, insists the attack coach, Laurent Labit. It will often be decided in the last ten minutes, and it is these players, with this energy, who will make us win the matches. “This vast turnover was expected whatever happens against the New Zealanders, but it is always easier for everyone in the momentum of a successful start.
Keeping everyone under pressure, a crucial factor in the World Cup
The “premium” team, to use an expression once dear to Galthié, will only really put on the warm-up blue during a very important last match against Italy, a perfect step for what will await it in quarter-finals. “What we have in mind are the decisive matches,” said William Servat, co-coach of the forwards, on Friday. We will continue to gain strength. The preparation was planned in several stages, with a first peak of form for this opening match and then a rebound at the end of the pool, to arrive well on the quarters. » A crucial fact during a Rugby World Cup, a competition which stretches over time. The final phase will only begin in a little over a month.
The seriously injured will also be able to be reintegrated without urgency, in a lighter context. Jonathan Danty, injured at the end of August, and especially Anthony Jelonch, who no longer played since his rupture of the cruciate ligaments on February 26, should be there on Thursday. Laurent Labit, the forwards coach, confirmed this on Saturday morning: “’Jo’ did a very good job with the staff here and also with his La Rochelle club during the rest week. We could have put him on the field on Friday but that would have been a risk for the rest of the competition. He will apply. Anthony is well advanced. We will meet with the physical trainers and physios to make a decision. » Cyril Baille will have to wait until Namibia and Julien Marchand, released on Friday, will probably only be back in the quarter-finals.
Finally, with this first place in the pool now reaching out to the Blues, nothing prevents us from imagining the unpredictable Scotland thwarting the predictions in group B and upsetting the two behemoths, South Africa and Ireland. They certainly ended up giving in to the brute force of the reigning world champions on Sunday, but this team cultivates the art of the fabulous match that comes out of nowhere, like during the last Tournament in England, and has not yet said his last word to earn an invitation to the quarterfinals against France. Is the probability tiny? Maybe, but just to be sure not to miss a possible good surprise, beating the All Blacks was a good idea.