Even if his glasses left some doubt, he was not known to be a scientist. In a pre-match press conference, coach Fabien Galthié described this tour of Japan as “laboratory”. In this case, the experiments carried out by the professor from Cahors aim to consolidate the France group with a view to the World Cup scheduled in France, in the fall of 2023. The two clashes against Japan, including the first Saturday, July 2, are an important part of this policy.
Faced with the infernal pace of increasingly full calendars, the management of the Blues has left most of the heroes of the Grand Slam to rest. They are only three spring starters to start the first test against Japan: Yoram Moefana, Damian Penaud and Melvyn Jaminet. If these matches on the other side of the world with a second team in the heart of summer are sometimes decried, the future Toulouse back embodies their interest more than anyone else.
Your #XVdeFrance
First match of the Summer Tour, Saturday July 2 at 8 a.m. on @TF1 ! When you wake up #Don’tDoXV #JAPFRA pic.twitter.com/1uYrNxtg9S
– France Rugby (@FranceRugby) June 30, 2022
Last year, the boot of Jaminet, who was only a hope of Pro D2 in Perpignan, was revealed to the eyes of the world in Australia. Qualified “UFO” by Galthié, he had won his place for the Tournament, and probably more, during this 2021 tour. Like him, Cameron Woki no longer left the starting XV after the saga against the Wallabies.
In the Land of the Rising Sun, there will undoubtedly be places to win for the World Cup. “It’s an incubator for our French rugby elitecontinued the coach. We see a team of hungry players, each of them wanting to take their chance.” In the second line, Thomas Jolmes has everything to gain, in a role of “pusher” for which the pool is – a little – less provided behind Paul Willemse and Romain Taofifenua. Preferred to Selevasio Tolofua in 8, Yoan Tanga can establish himself as a double for the indestructible Grégory Alldritt.
However, these statuses need to be put into perspective. One of the lessons learned since the beginning of Fabien Galthié’s mandate is precisely not to attach too much importance to the hierarchy. Ask Bernard Le Roux, unstoppable a year ago, and now off the radar. Like him, six of the fifteen holders of the 2020 Tournament have regressed, or even disappeared from the rotation. Two of them see this tour as the perfect opportunity to catch up with the wagon.
Virimi Vakatawa, in decline at Racing 92 this year, was supplanted by Jonathan Danty and Yoram Moefana in selection. His profile as a center puncher comfortable with his hands sticks to the movement game project, but time is running out. A failed tour could condition his future in blue.
summer tour #hurt #XVdeFrance pic.twitter.com/SXgqq1cggE
— Virimi Vakatawa (@vvakatawa) June 27, 2022
The deal is less binary for Charles Ollivon, absent for a year due to injury. “He’s going fast, he’s good, fresh, available and happy to be there”synthesized Galthié about the flanker, immediately renamed captain. “It’s a great pride to be there, to be able to share it with friends”smiled the ghost.
Despite his status, recovering his starting spot ahead of Cros or Jelonch, sparkling during the Tournament, will not be an easy task. In this position, the stakes are also high for Dylan Cretin, number 6 on Saturday but whose place on the bench is threatened by the return of Ollivon.
Other holders, Saturday, approach this tour with less pressure. Not that they are not expected, but their statutes seem to be more understood, at least in the short term. The Bordeaux-Béglaise hinge Lucu-Jalibert has the hand in Japan, but should give way to the Toulouse tandem Dupont-Ntamack. The first line Gros-Mauvaka-Bamba usually occupies, in the minds of the staff, the key role of “finisher” giving him half an hour of play per game.
With two test-matches, against three last year for the Aussies, there will be less matter for rotation. If Tanga, Jolmes and Lavault – on the bench – will make their first ranges on Saturday, there is a risk of being disappointed among the fourteen other neophytes. “We didn’t hesitate to get players from ProD2 or those under 20deciphered the coach. We realized that some could join our group.” For some, it would not be surprising if the management of the Blues is projected rather on the horizon of the World Cup 2027.