Long neck and neck with their opponents, Fabien Galthié’s players ended up suffering the cracking Irish law at the end of the game to logically lose (32-19) on Saturday in Dublin.
Some will say that it was perhaps better to give in here, relieve a little pressure and release valuable areas of work for the rest of the Tournament and the World Cup which is looming at the end of the year. From this defeat (32-19) in Ireland, the XV of France has something to be satisfied with despite everything. Even if the men of Fabien Galthié confirm here that they are struggling to find two elements which had made them the best team on the planet rugby in 2022.
What we liked:
A happy chaos
No breaks, no time-outs, this match was a pinnacle of play. A well-advised supporter will have had the good idea to keep everything he could need on hand for eighty minutes. At the slightest back and forth in the kitchen, it was for sure a try, a tightrope walker raise, a decisive tackle or another classy gesture that you would have missed. Relentless defenses, counter-attacks from their 22 meters, perfectly orchestrated combinations, the first two nations in the world ranking chained playing times at a crazy pace. And to think that we saw the players, hands crossed over their heads, looking for a second wind, from the first quarter of an hour.
The revival of discipline
Certainly, the Blues could not escape the call of the rusk: after Charles Ollivon against Italy, it was Uini Atonio who, sanctioned with a yellow card, spent ten minutes on the bench after a tackle poorly controlled (26th). But, in the current game, the XV of France only conceded seven penalties. A total much more in line with his status and his ambitions, far from the 18 conceded in Rome which had prevented him from putting his game down. Above all, Antoine Dupont’s teammates were rather clean in their own camp. Jonathan Sexton also had only one opportunity to pass three points against the poles.
Penaud, Jelonch, Flament and Dumortier, confirmations
The wings shine again and again. Damian Penaud, sparkling, continues in line with his year 2022. To his credit, in particular, the only blue test of the game after a raise from 60 meters. At the age of 22, Ethan Dumortier, who was celebrating his second selection, did not score but distinguished himself as much with his hooks, his ability to resist defenders and his defensive returns. Also noteworthy are the XXL performances of Anthony Jelonch who, after his 20 successful tackles in Rome (the most productive in this exercise) struck 22 in Dublin, and of Thibaud Flament, a real mower facing the green tide (28 tackles , five more than his “dolphin” Julien Marchand) in addition to being very enterprising offensively in support.
What we didn’t like:
The physical form of the Blues
The Blues had appeared physically dull at the opening of the Tournament. The intense physical preparation was one of the explanations. The staff wanted their players to reach their peak of form for this clash at the Aviva Stadium. The XV of France still lacked power in the contact zones, struggling to find progress in defense and attack. The third line, where only Anthony Jelonch (51 meters gained ball in hand), stood out is the perfect symbol.
Probably one of the best players in the Tournament last year, Grégory Alldritt, defensive puncher, only gained 15 short meters. Charles Ollivon had to make do with eight. In the second line, Paul Willemse was also in difficulty and did not advance an inch.
The inexorable defeat
We had almost lost the habit. Faced with this uninterrupted green tide, defeat seemed to be the fatal, inevitable outcome. With 14 consecutive successes, the XV of France and its supporters had forgotten the aftertaste that these incredible scenarios leave when they do not turn in their favor. In 2022, everything was successful for Antoine Dupont’s teammates, even in difficulty, as against Wales, we could not imagine them losing. But this time, the last pass, the last rebound, did not find takers. Antoine Dupont’s failed kick to follow, ending his race in touch, or even this try granted to James Lowes (despite a foot in touch that the slow motion past at half-time will reveal), are the symbols of this.