“Georgians are not funny”. William Servat had warned in The team, a few days before the match between the Blues and Georgia: most of the meeting would be played in front. Understand, in the fight and in the intensity, in particular from the first minutes against Lelos fond of rucks and scrums. Defaulters in these sectors in the first period against Pumas with tough forwards, the Blues have, this time, been in the game Sunday 14 November in Bordeaux.
Fabien Galthié’s staff adapted after the difficulties encountered on Saturday, November 6, against Argentina (29-20). With four changes among the eight forwards, the pack was densified by the presence of Uini Atonio (152 kg) and Romain Taofifenua (132 kg). The two behemoths have done good, in the running game as in melee. “Finisher” against the Pumas, Grégory Alldritt has regained his number 8 and brought his power.
Above all, the French were clean in defense, especially in the first act. Widely challenged upwind, they were little consumed in the rucks. The aggressive attitudes allowed the Blues to shutter the Georgian forwards several times (10th, 42nd). While indiscipline has been a recurring problem since Fabien Galthié took office, the Habs have erased these slags (8 penalties in total, only two in the first period). Quite the opposite of scattered Georgians, in particular in the first act with 11 faults and two yellow cards in thirty minutes.
Proof of the domination of the “big” French, five tries were registered on touch or scrum. And the panoply is complete: three balls carried consecutively to penalties (penalty test then a double from Mauvaka), a counter from Woki in the air enhanced by Jalibert, then a combination on scrum concluded upwind by Penaud. The fifth achievement, also marked by the ASM winger, came after a regular shelling of the blue forwards.
This victory in the physical challenge therefore justifies the choices of the French staff. Second line of fortune, Cameron Woki has held his place. While Paul Willemse and Thibaud Flament were on the bench, awaiting a possible return from Bernard Le Roux, the Bordelais stood out as a solution in the cage. Uneven ball in hand but preponderant in touch, Sekou Macalou showed good dispositions. He too can, in another register, hold high on François Cros or Anthony Jelonch.
Less conquerors thereafter, the Blues gradually died out at the same time as the rain shook the Gironde capital. The many moments of hesitation allowed the Georgians to register two probably avoidable tries. Predominant on Saturday night, the bench, emptied from the hour of play Sunday, had a mixed contribution. If Peato Mauvaka was very available and Demba Bamba fixed the opposing defense well, the other forwards made a rather sober copy.
No doubt the physiognomy of a match already folded against the dull Georgians has accentuated this feeling. But, the multiple hand faults and other errors seen in the last minutes could prove crippling Saturday, November 20, against the All Blacks.