Thanks to their victory (25-13) against England, Saturday March 19, the Blues of Fabien Galthié did not tremble and won the Grand Slam, the first for twelve years. A sesame as expected as hoped for which confirmed the promises of a generation which transports as much by its game, its results as its humility.
One would have believed the script written. Blues who, favorites, heirs of twelve years of scarcity without the slightest title, could challenge their best English enemies at home, in an incandescent stadium in France to seek a historic Grand Slam in the Six Nations Tournament. The 10th in the history of the XV of France. The screenwriters had put together a story with the air of a dramatic comedy, begun years ago by the withering of a giant entangled in a long and trying litany, marked by all too rare flashes, before a resounding awakening and honors.
These Blues have ruled out a soup with a grimace that seems very far away. How the hell did they do it? A golden generation, an extensive staff, an accommodating French rugby for its Blues, franceinfo: sport offers you a non-exhaustive list to understand this success.
The result of experience, between frustrating failures and prestigious successes
We were talking about the script. Each has its share of adventures, intrigues, pieces placed here and there to lead the protagonists to the grand finale. If we hope that a second – or even a third – opus just as exciting will lead this team to the roof of the world in 2023, the course is still long and we will refute here the “if” to focus on the present: the one who knew the Grand Slam as an apotheosis. We will also turn to the past, where it was built. Because for the Blues, the adventure “didn’t start at our first gathering in Carpiagne, it started long before”advanced also the coach of the Blues Fabien Galthié before the decisive meeting against the players of Eddie Jones.
“We have played 24 matches together, we are heading towards our 25th, our 3rd Tournament, with a lot of experience. These players have collective experience now, they have grown over the past two years. Our defeats have taught us, our second places in the competition too.
Fabien Galthié, coach of the Bluesat a press conference, before France-England
First there were the disappointments and these two tournaments lost in 2020 and 2021, one against the goal average (+44 for England, +21 for France), the other because of the staggered and failed match against Scotland. The Blues, obliged to win by nearly 20 points to steal the leading position from the Welsh, had completely foiled. Then there were victories, great victories. The first spark with a heavily reshuffled squad – with the Top 14 finalists left to rest – dates from that historic success in Australia on the summer tour. The first successful steps of a Melvyn Jaminet who settled at the back and as a scorer since.
Behind, there were the resounding successes against the All Blacks in November, then Ireland – another big favorite of the competition – in the Tournament, Scotland and Wales. Moreover, by winning against England on Saturday, the Blues extend a series of eight consecutive successes and equal the best tricolor series held by… the generation of Fabien Galthié. “The match against the All Blacks (40-25 victory on November 20, editor’s note) created a great dynamic within the team, which continues”pointed out the general manager of the Blues, Raphaël Ibanez before the Crunch.
A golden generation
Keeping a cool head in hot moments, not collapsing crushed by the costume of favorites: this success, the Blues also owe it to a golden generation accustomed to major events and winning. A thought first of Toulouse, champions of France and Europe. They were nine on the match sheet against XV de la Rose (Baille, Marchand, Cros, Jelonch, Dupont, Ntamack holders, Mauvaka, Flament and Ramos substitutes). We can add a tenth, winger Matthis Lebel who is among the additional players. Even if the boss of the Blues emphasizes that “the international level is very different” to point the finger rather at the “shared experience” and “collective experience”.
In addition to the organizational changes, the talents are also more numerous and brilliant. The best players in the French world, including Antoine Dupont (voted the best on the planet in 2021), are not in abundance. Rarely has the XV of France been able to count on such a pool of players. The double coronation of the under 20s in 2018 and 2019 – the first world titles in history for the France team – in teams led by Ntamack, Woki, Vincent or Lebel – had hinted at a sweeter future for the Blues . Still it was necessary for some to confirm in Pro D2 and Top 14, then at the international level among the big ones. Nevertheless, this culture of winning and this game of movement, speed, with forwards as mobile as they are powerful and skilful with the ball in hand, advocated at the time by Sébastien Piqueronies and David Darricarrère, surely facilitated their integration into this XV of France in the Galthié way.
A French team that has become a priority and supported by the clubs
Each announcement of the team composition was an opportunity to thank them. “To present a coherent project, it is necessary to have the support and the support of the clubs “, supported Raphaël Ibanez. The staff of the Blues, the Galthié-Ibanez doublet in the lead, was not mistaken. If the France team can finally compete with the fiercest opponents at the international level, it owes it in part to the profound overhaul of its system and the place given to the Blues in the landscape of the French oval.
While the duplicates (championship and Blues matches which overlap and therefore deprive the clubs of their internationals) have long made people cringe: this Tournament went off without a big hitch. Particularly affected, Stade Toulouse and UBB, despite the succession of defeats, did not flinch. “This period has allowed us to play young players and see our entire squad at work”even supported the coach of the red and black forwards, Virgile Lacombe, before the last day.
“We have just had eight very intense weeks, eight weeks of competition, eight weeks of balance to be found with 42 players, with permanent exchanges with the clubs, with players who sometimes had to be relaunched in their respective clubs, d ‘others who have been the subject of exchanges with the managers (…) We feel that French rugby understands the project in which we want to be part.
Fabien Galthié, coach of the Bluesin a press conference before France-England
More time for more Blues summoned, enough to ensure a certain continuity, to reduce the consequences of last-minute injuries by being able to count on absentees already fed to the game project. It is also less duplicates to undergo for future incumbents and more energy to spare on the ground to stifle those who were previously their tormentors. The physical collapse of the 60th minute is no more. Those who mocked the old organization of French rugby now look at it with envy. The boss of the XV of the Rose, Eddie Jones, did not hide his jealousy, recalling that he must be satisfied with 34 players to prepare his matches.
The reinforcement of the quota of Jiff (players trained in France) in the team compositions in Top 14 has also encouraged the emergence of new talents by allowing them to cut their teeth in a rough championship. Enough to consolidate the pool in which the Rooster can and will be able to draw in the years to come.
Shaun Edwards, symbol of the success of a strong staff
The choice of men in the field as well as those who accompany them seems just as important. The arrival of Shaun Edwards, master of “rush defense”, whose philosophy has viscerally transformed the game of the XV of France and even some players – like Damian Penaud – is the perfect example. Debauched in Wales, the Englishman is perhaps the greatest defense specialist at the moment. “I couldn’t understand why the English Rugby Federation didn’t move heaven and earth to bring Shaun back to Twickenham. Another English coach working with our biggest rivals? Cheers to the FFR. The XV of France will be the team to beat in four years”had warned in 2019 Sir Clive Woodward, coach of England world champion in 2003.
Shaun brought mad enthusiasm for spots that were usually boring for the French.
Joe Worsley, English coach from Castresin a Times podcast
Just look at this game in Cardiff. Muzzled in attack, the Tricolores made a phenomenal defensive match, preventing the Welsh, who had then planted almost half of their points in the last 20 minutes of a meeting, from scoring. For the Irishman, Bernard Jackman, coach of Grenoble, it is more generally “the entire staff” who “has been thought out with accuracy. For example, the work of the physical trainers is obvious, the French are drier, more mobile. They are now able to hold a very high effective playing time”he said in the newspaper L’Equipe on Friday.
“The players have grown, the staff too”, supported Fabien Galthié before the start of the Tournament. Obviously, as boss of the Blues and the staff, this success is also his. His ability to federate and support this group on which the pressure seems to be slipping, by focusing minds on the analysis of things still to be done and improved, is not unrelated to the good form of the Blues.
That’s the bulk of the clearing. We could also mention the precious ability of these players to adapt during the match, or on this game of dispossession with a stifling defense intended to push the opponent into error, in order to offer killer counter balls that perfectly exploit the qualities of the forces involved. Without forgetting this “incredible support”, words of Gaël Fickou, supporters who transformed the Stade de France into a cauldron, and sang so loudly at Murrayfield and at the Millennium that we felt at home.
With this Grand Slam, the Blues have confirmed their promises as much as they have opened the door to new ones. The horizon is bright, but before writing its future pages it’s time for the former sleeper and his supporters to savor a delight they have been deprived of for too long.