At the Toulouse Stadium,
To begin this article, a short sequence: “Time is flying by… we were still talking about it with the baker this morning. On November 21, 2021, the Blues joined their Top 14 clubs the day after a tremendous success over the All Blacks in an ecstatic Stade de France (40-25). A year later, all stacks, Fabien Galthié’s players slapped a kiss after adding 10 wins to the three of last fall.
Unbeaten over the calendar year, Grand Slam winners, the favorites of the next World Cup at home have beaten the best teams (Ireland and England in the spring, Australia and South Africa in recent weeks) and no longer fall into the traps set by second-tier teams like Japan, dominated twice this summer and then again this Sunday in Toulouse (35-17).
“We saw it with the victory of Georgia in Wales [12-13, samedi], there are always surprises during the November tours, notes the center Jonathan Danty. We didn’t want to be part of it. No, this team is no longer the type to be snagged by the Japanese as in the last match of the Novès era in November 2017 (23-23) or to be beaten by the Fijians a year later, during the short term of Jacques Brunel (14-21).
Of course, if she is overpowering in front, she is not always dreaming behind. And the game of systematic dispossession (kicking galore, to popularize) sometimes tore yawns on Sunday in the grayness of Haut-Garonne, before the appearance of the anticyclone Matthieu Jalibert. From there to regret “the encouraging defeats which were not”, as Mathieu Lartot called them in a recent interview with 20 minutes…
Science and pragmatism
This team wins, whether it’s quietly like against the Brave Blossoms, or narrowly like against the Wallabies or the Springboks. And that’s the main thing for the very scientific and pragmatic staff of Fabien Galthié who, this fall, often kept the lyrical flights for his speeches to journalists.
The historic record of 13 straight wins, current series? “It is the fruit of the work, for a number of years, of the staff, of all the players and the clubs who support these players in their practice, their education, their training. And it is also that of the public who pushes behind us. There is a kind of dynamic behind this team that allows it to perform. »
Goal Stade de France
To hear Galthié, a whole people carries Antoine Dupont (suspended against Japan) and his apostles towards the gates of Paradise, supposed to open on the evening of the World Cup final, on October 28, 2023 at the Stade de France. “The goal is to achieve [au Mondial] with victories, a better world ranking, titles, launches the coach. For the moment, we are in phase. But before the World Cup, there is a Six Nations Tournament, club events and all the preparation for next summer. »
“We know that the hardest part is yet to come”, assures Anthony Jelonch, author of the fourth try against Japan, after the double of the scoring machine Damian Penaud and the realization of the amazing returning Charles Ollivon. The formula of the 3rd line of Toulouse is not a simple ready-to-chew delivered to the press in the mixed zone of the Stadium.
Before meeting the Blacks in the opening match of the World Cup, the Blues will be entitled to meetings on known but hostile ground, during the tournament : first in Dublin against Ireland, number 1 in the World Rugby rankings (just ahead of France) and home of the new best player in the world, the 3rd line Josh van der Flier who dethroned our national Dupont this Sunday. Then at Twickenham against England not in the best shape of its glorious history, but capable of brilliant strokes, like coming up 19 points against New Zealand in nine minutes, Saturday (25-25).
If injuries do not interfere too much, and if a new UFO does not land by then in Marcoussis, the Blues supposed to take up these challenges should look a lot like those who attacked this fall, even if certain positions can lend to discussion (back, left winger, 3rd line wing, 2nd line).
A game deciphered by the opponents
But they will have to offer the best version of themselves, offer more variety in a game that their opponents have logically deciphered. It will also be necessary to erase the slag, like this annoying tendency to experience an air pocket during the game. Against Japan, it appeared on the return from the locker room, and led to a superb breakthrough from center Nakano converted into a try by scrum half Saito.
“It’s difficult to analyze, admits Ollivon, captain in the absence of ”who-you-know”. We talked about it during the week, and also the previous weeks. Sometimes there are small individual mistakes that can put the team on the back foot. I will remember that we were able to move forward. »
Galthié has the answer to this evil “identified” by the tricolor frame. “You have to chain the right moves, to avoid the end of strong times and the start of weak times. We’re going to work on that. The ongoing unbeaten streak delivers a confidence that will no doubt make the job easier. Without serving as a guarantee: the English remained on 30 rank victories before losing in the final of the Rugby World Cup (34-31)on November 12 against New Zealand.