The Blues were particularly fragile in Italy on Sunday, conceding their worst total of penalties in the Tournament under the Galthié era.
It took little for the XV of France to concede its first defeat since July 2021, Sunday February 5 in Italy (victory 29-24). Put under pressure by a playful Italian team, terribly undisciplined, the Blues did not really reassure, six days before a perilous trip to Dublin. Several reasons explain these difficulties in beating a selection yet, on paper, less armed.
Notorious indiscipline
We would almost become worried about the state of Matthew Carley’s lips. The central referee raised the whistle to his mouth 18 times to sanction French faults. “We know very well that it is not playable at this level”evacuated Antoine Dupont after the match, on France 2. This total, the worst of the Galthié era in the Tournament, is cause for concern. “18 penalties, it’s each time a possession for the opponent and you go back. We went back a lot. And when you don’t go back, it costs you three points”regretted the coach in a post-match press conference.
Ten of these penalties were, in addition, conceded on rucks, a sector where they did not have much to hope for anyway given the transalpine form (98% of balls kept). Symbol of this bankruptcy, a penalty try, embellished with a yellow card for Charles Ollivon (penalized alone 4 times), put the Squadra Azzurra in the game (52nd, 21-22).
Transalpine in clear progress
It was said that Italy was full of resources, reinvigorated by its exploit in Cardiff last March (22-21). Brilliant on Sunday, the Italians proved that this success was not a flash in the pan. Formerly accustomed to bend physically around the 60th minute, they found a second wind that we did not know them. “It’s no longer the Italy of before”, assured the French winger Ethan Dumortier at the end of the match. At the level in intensity in front, despite a significant loss in the tackle (22% failures), they mastered their game launches (20/22 in touch, 5/6 in melee) and offered several energetic sequences involving their three – promising quarters. They even finished best by imposing game times at the very end of the match, which could have led them to the test victory.
A culpable decline in the second act
This Italian endurance in the performance drastically contrasted with the clear drop in French speed observed in the second act. Several executives, especially in front, clearly lacked control and impact. Quick to put theirs back in the lead, Julien Marchand, Paul Willemse or Charles Ollivon, were more erased when Italy took the reins in the 62nd.
“There was no panic”, yet noted Dupont at a press conference about this pivotal moment. The Blues were then well helped by the contribution of entrants Matthieu Jalibert and Romain Taofifenua, both involved in the decisive try of the opener. “That’s what ‘finishers’ are forpraised Fabien Galthié. They are the ones who earn it, or at least try.”
A declining success against the poles
Agree, the frank Italian discipline (7 penalties, including a good part in the French camp) did not offer him much ammunition against the poles. But by succeeding 4 of his 6 kicks, Thomas Ramos posted a success rate (67%) insufficient at this level. His two failures (20th, 57th) certainly occurred in difficult positions and, in his defense, his vis-à-vis Tommaso Allan did not do better.
Nevertheless: Ramos was used to much higher standards during the autumn tour (84%). From there to relaunch the debate with his fallen competitor Melvyn Jaminet, who is close to 90% success in Blue, there is only one step.