The Blues receive Scotland on Sunday for their first outing at the Stade de France in this Six Nations Tournament, two weeks after the defeat in Ireland.
The XV of France must remove the vagueness. Defeated (32-19) in Ireland on the second day of the Six Nations Tournament, after a series of 14 straight wins, the Blues want to react against Scotland on Sunday February 26. At the Stade de France, they will have to provide some answers to certain questions that have emerged after their poor performance.
Can the Blues find the game that was their strength?
In difficulty since the start of the Six Nations Tournament, the XV of France can no longer offer the offensive and effective game that has been its strength in recent seasons. Rucks no longer provide as many balloons and advantages. The Blues barely manage to scratch a few before being sanctioned (7 penalties conceded in the rucks in Italy, 4 in Ireland). They can no longer make the difference either on turnovers (4 won in Ireland, as much as their opponents).
Faced with these concerns, the first dissensions appeared. Fabien Galthié regretted that his players had raised too much by hand in Dublin, to the detriment of the kicking game planned before the meeting. A tactic defended by Romain Ntamack in the bays of Aviva Stadium after the match: “If we don’t have this desire to want to play the balls of our camp, we will never score this try from Damian”. To start again, the Blues must find their harmony on and outside the lawn.
In what physical condition are the Blues?
The other big worry is physical condition. Against Italy and then Ireland, the players appeared too quickly dull on the pitch, and broken at the final whistle. In Dublin, Antoine Dupont had not recovered enough to appear at a press conference after the meeting. “Antoine is exhausted, everyone is exhausted”had dropped Romain Ntamack a few minutes later in the mixed zone.
Symbol of this physical form inside, the finishers have not, for the moment, been too successful in bringing a collective second wind to restart the machine. During the second period in Ireland, the seven came into play did not weigh enough to reverse the trend (three points scored only in the second period). Other signs of a team that suffers: the Blues are those who tackle the most in this Tournament (404 times) and at the same time who make the fewest offensive tackles (17). After two weeks off, fitness and recovery will be one of the challenges for the opposition against Scotland.
How to manage the absence of Uini Atonio?
Facing Scotland, the Blues must compose without Uini Atonio. The Rochelais pillar received a three-week suspension for his dangerous tackle on Rob Herring, which had earned him a yellow card. Without him, the blue pack loses a major element, a guarantee of stability in the scrum and impact to advance in the conquest of the ball.
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Without his 145 kg displayed by his club, the XV of France must deal with another profile. The Montpellierain Mohamed Haouas (122 kg), holder of the post of right pillar at the start of the mandate of Fabien Galthié, faces competition from the Bordelais Silipi Falatea (116 kg), present on the bench and came into play in the first two games . The Héraultais has the advantage of experience (15 selections) but has not started an international match since November 2021, and he does not have good memories of Scotland. In 2020, he was sent off at Murrayfield for punching in a fight.
Will the French third line regain its level?
The third line of the XV of France also raises questions. Imperial at the Grand Slam in 2022, it is having more difficulty this year in weighing and making differences. If Anthony Jelonch floats, as evidenced by his 42 tackles in two games, his two line mates do not experience the same success.
Sanctioned with a yellow card in Italy, Charles Ollivon also disappointed in Ireland. Grégory Alldritt also seems below his standards, and physically struggling. While he has the most club playing time since the start of the season among internationals (1,354 minutes), he has yet to play more than 60 minutes per game in the 2023 Tournament. Blues against Scotland will also go through a newfound solidity in the third line, reinforced on the bench by the return from injury of François Cros, former holder with the Blues.