Will the XV of France confirm its supremacy, less than a year from the Rugby World Cup in France? The first of the fall tour test matches takes place this Saturday at 9 p.m. against Australia. In other words the last team to beat themin July 2021. This new match is therefore an opportunity for Fabien Galthié’s men to mark their territory, at home at the Stade de France.
It must be said that during this summer tour, most of the executives of the France team were absent. Since then, the Blues have chained for ten victories, including one on the All Blacks
(40-25), a Grand Slam
in the Six Nations Tournament, and climbed to the first place in the world ranking
for the first time in their history (before dropping to second behind Ireland).
Take the scalp of the Wallabies, capable of the worst as well as the best during the recent Rugby Championship and victorious in the forceps of Scotland (16-15) last week, would allow the XV of France to keep its “favorite tag”in the words of second line Cameron Woki. “To keep it, you simply have to win matches”. For the three-quarter center Gaël Fickou also, “It’s important to arrive at the World Cup thinking that we can beat everyone. Without lacking in humility, our goal is to win the next three matches to continue writing our history, stay undefeated, go first in the rankings”.
If the Blues are favorites on Saturday nightthanks to “our series of victories which allows us to be mentally strong and to have a certain safety”, Cameron Woki analysis, be careful not to sin out of pride. “When you reach the highest level, you know that the hardest thing is to stay there. We are much more expected than two years ago”warns the best world player of the year 2021 Antoine Dupont, confirmed in his place as captain
despite Charles Ollivon’s return from injury. “We know the Australians well. They are fighters, very tough players, cowboys”, depicts the tricolor coach, who is particularly wary of their end of matches. His players had learned it the hard way, with two defeats conceded in the very last moments during the 2021 summer tour.
The composition
The coach of the Blues only proceeded for the Wallabies four changes compared to the starting XV of the Grand Slam match against England. And again, each of them was dictated by injuries: Paul Willemse, François Cros, Gabin Villière, Melvyn Jaminet. “We see that they (the coaches) keep a strong framework”, confirms Fickou. “To win a competition, you need chemistry, that the guys know each other” he believes.
We have known each other for several seasons now, we know the project perfectly, of course it helps in the field to find automatisms
“This premium team has 87% wins”recalls Galthié. “We must continue to progress of course, to create emulation. But there is a strong base, that of collective experience and performance”. Same opinion for Stade Toulousain scrum half Antoine Dupont: “It’s always a plus to know the players with whom we are on the pitch. We are lucky to be a lot of Toulouse, but even the 23 who are on the match sheet, we have known each other for several seasons now. , we work together, we know the project perfectly, we know each other well now. So of course that helps in the field to find automatisms.”
Sign of their importance in the blue jersey, the left pillar Cyril Baille and the opening half Romain Ntamack will start without having almost played the past two months. They will be launched directly into the big international bath. The captain of the XV of Australia James Slipper and 33-year-old left pillar, who will honor his 125th selection on Saturday, also believes that his French counterpart Cyril Baille “will be ready”, even though he has only played 34 minutes since the start of the season last weekend. “When the time has come to defend the colors of your country, it doesn’t matter how many minutes you have in your legs. You are carried by the adrenaline, the emotion and the pride of playing in the national team”said the Australian captain.
France-Australia in statistics
- France and Australia have faced each other 50 times since 1928. Australia have won 29 times, France 19 times. The two teams have drawn twice.
- In the last confrontation between the two teams, on July 17, 2021 in Brisbane, Australia won 33-30. The Blues have not lost a single game since.
- In the last five meetings between France and Australia, the Blues have won twice and the Wallabies three times.
- The last meeting in France was won by Australia 25-23, in November 2016.
- Of the 24 confrontations between France and Australia on French soil, the Blues have won 14 times, for a draw and nine defeats.
- The last French victory at home against the Wallabies dates from November 15, 2014 and a 29-26 success.
- Of all the matches between these two nations, it was Australia who signed the biggest victory with a 43-point difference: 59 to 16 in November 2010 at the Stade de France.
- The biggest French success was a little less consistent (28 points difference): 34 to 6 in 1976 in Paris.
The fall tour schedule
After Australia, the Blues will compete on November 12 in the warm atmosphere of the Vélodrome de Marseille against the only major nation that they have not yet hung on their list of hunters since the beginning of the Galthié era: South Africa, reigning world champion. Before ending with Japan on November 20 in Toulouse.
- Saturday November 5 at 9 p.m. against Australia at the Stade de France
- Saturday November 12 at 9 p.m. against South Africa in Marseille
- Sunday November 20 at 2 p.m. against Japan in Toulouse
These three meetings will be broadcast on the network of 44 local France Bleu radio stations.