Highly visible, the hinge influenced the meeting largely won by the Blues (45-24), Sunday in Wales, during the fourth day of the Tournament.
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It took a pat on the back of the neck from Julien Marchand for him to understand. Worn out after seventy minutes of galloping around the four corners of the meadow, Nolann Le Garrec saw his face displayed large on the screens of the Millennium Stadium. The scrum half had just returned to the bench and, if he had not immediately grasped the significance of the moment, the banner at the bottom of the image left him in no doubt: the afternoon of his first tenure, the Breton had just been named man of a match won by the Blues in Wales (45-24), Sunday March 10.
This was well worth the strong congratulations from the massive Julien Marchand and Uini Atonio, as this distinction was so deserved for the maestro of the French game. With his friend Thomas Ramos, regular back lined up for the first time at the opening with the Blues – but used to the position this season with Stade Toulouse – Nolann Le Garrec skillfully dictated the sustained tempo of an orchestra which has finally found its harmony. “His performance is on par with what he has done so far in his comebacks”greeted Fabien Galthié at a press conference.
Day 4: Le Garrec plays against the Welsh defense and scores his first international try
What action from Nolann Le Garrec! After a scrum once again well negotiated by the French pack, the French scrum half organized his team’s play. A few meters from the line, he fakes the pass and rushes into the Welsh goal to score the first try of his career with the French team and restore the advantage to his team.
Aligned to energize a game that was too predictable in previous outings, Le Garrec fulfilled the mission brilliantly. The 21-year-old Racingman was also able to correct the situation after a start wasted by an empty pass at the origin of the first Welsh penalty (2nd). Sometimes relieved of the ball by his forwards, he did not hesitate to take individual initiatives. By picking up the ball at the foot of a ruck then feigning the pass to flatten the second try (29th). By delivering, also, a chistera of almost 40 meters, sublime but not futile, to put the game away (32nd). “She passed by, whatlaughed Galthié. And behind that, it brings us a strong moment, even if we don’t score.”
In addition to these isolated elements, we also saw him comfortable on camp outings and controlling emotions. The experience of Thomas Ramos (28 years and 34 caps) helped him. “He gave me confidence this week, we talked a lot, he also yelled at me, sometimes, to make everything clear (laughs). I have a great rugby connection with him”smiled Le Garrec, the first international Breton since 1961.
His activity has often caused trouble in the Welsh defense, often staring at the first defender at the exit of the ruck like Antoine Dupont can do. The comparison with the usual captain, who left to try his hand at seven, stops – for now – there. The one with Maxime Lucu, holder of the position during the first three matches, is on the other hand difficult to avoid.
For the first time, the hinge did not suffer the match
The two do not display the same qualities, but showed on Sunday that the distribution of tasks worked better this way, with Le Garrec to start and Lucu to finish. And this is not an insult to the Basque: sometimes tense during his three starts, he seemed much less restrained during his ten minutes on the field in Cardiff and scored his first international try (80th).
“Nolann has a lot of desire, sometimes a little too much, so you have to channel it. He has qualities, he sticks to the ball.”
Thomas Ramos, fly halfin a mixed zone in Cardiff
Faced with this idyllic and spectacular portrait, Thomas Ramos’ performance has less relief. But the Toulouse man provided entertainment in a different register from Matthieu Jalibert, holder until then, but came out injured against Italy (13-13). The Toulouse player thus sent 39 passes, more than the Bordeaux-Béglais opener during his two fully contested matches (17 against Ireland, 15 in Scotland).
Jalibert then distributed a lot at will, sometimes, evolving against nature or even against the tide. The instructions have probably changed and better reflect the qualities of the French three-quarter line. Le Garrec and Ramos, in this sense, reveled in this change of direction, taking advantage of a dominating pack and the Welsh limits. For the first time in the Tournament, the hinge weighed on the match and did not suffer it.
Successful interim while waiting for Dupont and Ntamack
“Our 9 and 10 had to be on the feet, not used to clear a ruck or carry a ball”has explained Galthié. Involved in Gaël Fickou’s try (22nd), the usual full-back also beat four defenders (only Damian Penaud did better on Sunday) and seemed so comfortable that it was hard to believe that he honored his first in Blue at the opening. And as always, he shined against the poles (8/9), with the only failure being a transformation into an anecdotal corner after the siren. A success which allows him to be the seventh man to pass the 300 points registered with the XV of France.
We are therefore asking for more, even if the interim of this substitution hinge should not continue beyond this Tournament. When they are available, Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack should logically regain their executive status, and it is difficult to see Thomas Ramos, so valuable at the back – where Léo Barré succeeded in his first –, settle down permanently at the opening. Before looking so far ahead, Le Garrec and Ramos should enjoy a second prestigious meeting together, against England on Saturday March 16.