Never have the Blues been so close to the title which they have been so lacking since 2010. The XV of France faces Wales on Friday (9 p.m.) in Cardiff and remains the only undefeated team in the Six Nations Tournament. A new step to take to win the Grand Slam, before the reception of England on March 19 at the Stade de France. The French can also be assured of winning the competition this weekend if they beat the Welsh with the offensive bonus point and if Ireland and England draw on Saturday.
If this second hypothesis seems unlikely, the first on the other hand is much more so. A victory for the XV of France against Wales seems to be within reach. Fabien Galthié’s players indeed remain on three victories against XV du Leek: (27-23) during the 2020 Tournament in Cardiff, (38-21) in test-match the following fall, finally (32-30) at the Stade de France last year. The gang of Antoine Dupont is the favorite, especially since it has won its last six meetings, its best series since 2006, and has clearly targeted this Tournament as an aperitif before “its” World Cup, the next year.
Watch out for the awakening of the Red Devils
Facing her, Wales, which is only a shadow of the winner of the 2021 Tournament, has “only” three victories in its last five matches. But the defeat against England (23-19) in London on the third day upset the Red Devils, who will appear in front of their public eager to show that they are better than their mediocre penultimate place in the standings. So beware of this excess of confidence among the Blues who, last year, had them down on the 4th day of the Tournament after having already won their first three games, to finish in second place in the competition.
Especially since the Leek XV, in its lair, has won ten of its last eleven matches. “We go there as a challenger. It’s a team that we respect a lot because for ten years, they have won the Tournament four times“, underlined Laurent Labit, the coach of the attack.It is a nation which, with few inhabitants, invents incredible rugby players. We were fed with Gareth Edwards, Williams, Fenwick… Such beautiful rugby players“, recalled Fabien Galthié. “Everyone says it’s the most beautiful stadium in the world.”confided for his part the third row Anthony Jelonch, stars in his eyes, for whom it will be a “first time” at the Millennium. The show and the famous Welsh choirs await the Blues in Cardiff but the French promise to keep a cool head.
Blues tackled to the ground by the Covid
In addition to the big atmosphere that will be provided by the Welsh supporters and the possible awakening of the players of the Leek XV, the Blues must once again deal with the Covid-19. As they were packing their bags, winger Damian Penaud, author of a double in Scotland, and Romain Taofifenua, a luxury substitute in the first three matches of the Blues, learned that they were positive for Covid-19, the nailed to the ground. And the staff have not ruled out that other players will be by the game: “Everything is possible, everything can happen very quickly“, dropped manager Raphaël Ibanez. Very quickly, like the 160 minutes that separate France from a Grand Slam.