Hooked in the first period, the Bleuets unrolled in the second act to offer themselves a new World Cup, Friday, in Cape Town.
A July 14 celebrated in South Africa. The Athlone Stadium in Cape Town witnessed a tricolor fireworks display on Friday July 14 for the final of the Under-20 Rugby World Cup. Opposed to Ireland, the XV of France easily won (50-14), thanks to a second period flown over (33-0), which completely erased the hooked character of the first act. Sébastien Calvet’s players, undefeated since the start of the competition, thus won a third consecutive world crown (after 2018 and 2019), a historic treble. Only their All Blacks counterparts have done better in history, with a quadruple between 2008 and 2012.
With six world crowns, the New Zealanders also remain the most successful in the annual competition, created in 2008, but whose last three editions (2020, 2021, 2022) had been canceled because of the Covid. Thus, since 2018, it is therefore France that reigns over world rugby among young people. Despite the river score of this final, the Blueberries were facing a client. The young shoots of the XV du Clover had achieved the Grand Slam this winter during the Six Nations U20 Tournament, beating the Blueberries (33-31) on their way.
Almighty Blueberries
Perhaps Sébastien Calvet’s players still had this setback in mind at kick-off. Still, they were initially jostled by the Irish, well into their final (0-7 after 4 minutes of play). If they were able to raise their heads during the first act, thanks to tries from Ferté (14th) and Reus (35th). At the break, the French had rectified the situation, but still felt the breath of their opponents in their necks (17-14). An event however came to breathe new life into the Bleuets: the yellow card received by Paddy McCarthy, sanctioned just before returning to the locker room after an accumulation of faults.
And it is an understatement to say that the XV of France took advantage of these ten minutes of numerical superiority. At fifteen against fourteen, the French scored two tries converted by Jouvin (42nd) and Depoortere (45th). What to fly away (24-14). The start of a high-flying second period, which saw the Bleuets completely knock out the Irish, overwhelmed in all areas. Ferté first scored twice (69th), before Nouchi (75th) and Drouet (79th) went to put their names on the scoreboard.
With 7 tries, the Blueberries have almost reached their average of 7.25 in this World Cup, which they have splashed with their talent. Because the Irish are not the only ones to have completely cracked against France, which previously corrected Japan (75-12), the All Blacks (35-14), Wales (43-19) and France. England (52-31). This new demonstration in the final completes a competition full of promise for French rugby, pending the World Cup for adults, in France, from September 8.