Solidarity, character and composure. If we had to summarize the essence of the meeting, then the remarks made by the Blues, Saturday, after their victory (30-24) against the Irish, we could not use a trio of more precise qualifiers to report of the impression left by this team. The same as the one they had left during their historic success against the Blacks, in November. Sometimes brilliant, sometimes clumsy, Fabien Galthié’s proteges seem to have a new trademark: the very unwelcome clumsiness – which could cost them the victory – is gradually tamed.
Jostled, the XV of France does not break. Better, thanks to nerves of steel, he reaps prestigious successes. “It’s a team that is built on the pitch through results and performance, the players have a strong character, ambitions. It’s a group that has convictions, pride, pride, there is also a very strong collective dimension”underlined the coach of the Blues after the meeting to explain this mutation.
Against Ireland, the 3rd nation in the world, the first hitches occurred in the 7th minute. Following a stellar start – a converted try from Antoine Dupont and a penalty from Melvyn Jaminet – and a promising 10-0, the Blues saw their lead dwindle after a misunderstanding over the Irish dismissal. While Jaminet and Penaud pondered who should get the ball, you or me, winger Mack Hansen gave them priority to try. Balance sheet? 10-7 and almost everything to redo.
When a player makes a mistake, he does not feel in difficulty because of the great collective strength of the group. The important thing is to get up following. This state of mind inevitably removes a feeling of pressure.
Fabien Galthié, coach of the XV of Franceat the post-match press conference
Not enough to disturb Antoine Dupont’s teammates. “Disturbed, I don’t think that’s the word, of course we were in difficulty, but we managed to rectify the situation without changing our organization. We just put Anthony (Jelonch) in the area to have more solidity. It remains facts of the game, but which we will obviously have to rectify because these are points easily given, whether it is the test or two, three turnovers “reported the captain of the Blues after the meeting.
Like Melvyn Jaminet, partly at fault on the test, jostled in the air at the start of the game, before achieving a solid performance concluded by 20 points at the foot (7/8), some Blues missed important tackles or sealed opportunities by forwards without leaving the match. Even the sacred air pocket of the return from the locker room did not get the better of their composure.
“We take 14-0 but we don’t have too many worries”confided the third center line and best player of the meeting Grégory Alldritt to the microphone of France 2 after the match. “Doubted? Not really. Of course it’s never good to take points, especially since we had focused on the return after half-time, but we remained confident, serene. is the strength of the group to stay cold in hot times”supported his compatriot in the third row François Cros.
Against these teams, you also have to accept having weak times and succeed in limiting their impact, which is sometimes violent. It happened against the Blacks, it happened today. We managed to regain control in particularly difficult conditions physically, psychologically and strategically.
Fabien Galthié, coach of the XV of Franceat the post-match press conference
The perfect match does not exist, the Blues, as tightrope walkers, are learning not to burn the lead taken too much in the highlights, or to avoid falling too far behind in their weak times. Question of perspective.
And to carry out this quest, which requires a great capacity for adaptation, the bench is positioned as a strategic pillar. Among the Blues, we are not talking about substitutes, but about finishers, proof of the importance of entrants. “We expected this fight, we know the Irish and we responded to 23. Everyone was huge and it was seen at the end”summed up Grégory Alldritt.
To meet the physical challenge in the rucks and stay ahead, the entries of Romain Taofifenua and Thibaud Flament in the 53rd, to name a few, were invaluable. “When we are on the bench, we try to take ownership of the match by discussing with the others, by analyzing, we take stock between us at half-time too. The idea was to enter well, to ‘to have a big impact, to be able to bring juice, gas to move the team forward’said the second line of Stade Toulousain, Thibaud Flament.
The entry of Maxime Lucu into the fray (70th), for an Antoine Dupont who was starting to stick out his tongue, intended to “bring a different regulation”, in the words of Fabien Galthié, was also crucial to calm things down at the end of the game and secure the score. If he remains alone undefeated, the XV of France intends to reduce his weak times and certain clumsiness as much as possible to hope to get a result in Scotland. Especially since it remains on three defeats in its last four games against XV du Chardon.