France outclassed the Leek XV, Saturday at the Stade de France, after a new demonstration of total rugby (41-28).
The contract was well fulfilled, the Welsh haversack too. In the obligation to win with the offensive bonus to be able to hope to keep their title, France did not do in half measures, Saturday March 18, against the Dragons who will have spat flames only during some flashes. After the fireworks set off last week at Twickenham, the Blues have reserved a final bouquet for us for this last match of the 2023 edition. Waiting for the surprise climax with a victory for England in Ireland?
We liked
The lightning click
Sometimes a single gesture can straighten out fifteen men. Brinqueballés by the Welsh at the start of the meeting, deprived of the ball, specialized in “air veneers”, the Blues did not lead wide. When they remembered that salvation was just offshore. Romain Ntamack then set off first to show the way. A steep path on which the opening half played the tightrope walker by multiplying the feints to serve Dupont whose skipped pass found Penaud for the test (10th). In the blink of an eye, the artists “station masters” had just put the blue train back on the right track.
The centrifugal fray
The blue pack was known to be superior to its counterpart. But we didn’t think he was that bad. Almost every melee has thus turned into torture for the Welsh forwards, forced to retreat, to bend, to graze on the Dionysian grass. This show of force (100% of introductions won against 83% for the Welsh) confirms, if it were still really needed, the enormous progress made by the XV of France “made in” Galthié. And provides reassuring stability and security for the Blues who know that, even mistreated in the game, they can always rely on their fundamentals.
Ramos hot on Wilko’s heels
We have been playing for nine minutes since the resumption and it is a small page in the history of the Blues in the Tournament that is turning. Gérald Merceron, until then holder of the greatest number of points for a French player on an edition (80 in 2002) disappeared from the shelves. Thomas Ramos, fearless, has just passed a new transformation and becomes, at this precise moment, the new tricolor record holder (82). Author of a 100% until the end, the back of the Stade Toulousain finally finished the Tournament with 84 points on the clock, only five units from the legend Jonny Wilkinson. Above all, he will have revealed himself, throughout the competition, as the much hoped-for kicker. After years of procrastination, do the Blues definitely hold the rare pearl?
We didn’t like
Pick and go’s that sting the ego
The Leek XV chose the match against France to offer the best version of itself. A version not necessarily faithful to its legend, forged in the flames of epic flights from behind, but a terribly effective version. In any case for 20 minutes. The Gatland players literally confiscated the ball at the start of the game and when they brought it back, it was behind the French try line (8th). The Blues, jostled by the multiplication of pick and go, clearly suffered during these sequences. Hoping that this does not give ideas to future opponents…
The air hole in the second half
Perhaps stuffed with four tries, the France team experienced a few guilty moments from the hour mark. This digestion was understandable after such a feast but it was perhaps avoidable. Materialized by three Welsh tests, this drop in speed was also the fact of the XV of Leek who, even at strawberries, still refuses to bow. But, with a little more skill, there was surely a way to stew it. And to ensure an even more consistent goal average in the event of a perfect equality on points with Ireland…