2023-10-06 06:25:00
2023 Rugby World Cup in FrancedossierThe French XV faces an Italian team this Friday that was heavily defeated by New Zealand. Despite the obvious balance of power, the French are overplaying caution.
Which Italy will challenge the XV of France, this Friday, October 6, at the OL Stadium in Lyon, temple of Rhone football today reduced to shreds (in the masculine meaning of the word shipwreck)? The one who has just suffered one of the greatest humiliations in its history (17-96), against New Zealand, while it was beginning to fantasize about an adventure which is very likely to be soon no longer his? Or the one who, at the beginning of February, at home, gave the French XV a few scares during the last Six Nations Tournament, losing only 24-29 after even squandering a match point in money time?
Let’s bet on neither. But maybe just a team both concerned about not reliving the same nightmare a week apart, without having the means to reach the moon. Because, to put it bluntly, when Italy won by one point in Cardiff, against Wales, in March 2022, it put an end to a series of 36 consecutive defeats in the Tournament of six nations (the previous performance dating back to 2015, against Scotland). An improvement followed… by a new wooden spoon during the 2023 edition, resulting in as many defeats as matches (five).
“A match where it will hit hard”
So yes, admitting that, once digested the retirement of the immense Sergio Parisse, the Nazionale was able to find a smile again by cheering the crazy flights on the wing of Ange Capuozzo, or the reliability of its opener Paolo Garbisi – two young gems of French rugby, who play respectively in Toulouse and Montpellier – the hypothesis of contradicting the oracles remains nonetheless small. Especially since the New Zealand coach of Italy, Kieran Crowley, had to resign himself to changing positions, one moving to the back and the other to the center, after an avalanche of defections (Tommaso Menoncello , Edoardo Padovani, Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera…), in a group which already does not have a bench capable of making the difference as the outcome approaches.
“They are Latins […], injured Latins,” pointed out the French coach, Fabien Galthié, who we knew was more inspired or even lyrical, adding “they have everything to gain” as the main argument supposed to counteract this excess of confidence despite being bludgeoned by the figures. Like this one: in the current France-Italy record, the Blues have a total of 94% victories – the highest ratio against a team faced at least five times. Or this one: France has won its last 17 matches on home soil, a record, without ever having been behind at half-time for five and a half years now.
So, yes, apart from the usual precautions, stated mechanically (“A match where things are going to hit hard”, says Charles Ollivon, captain much better than substitute), or knowingly amplified (“If we give them the ball too easily, it’s a formidable team,” Maxime Lucu), no one can imagine the Blues leaving prematurely an event that they have never prepared with so much strength and attention to detail. At the most we will have to be careful not to be (too) afraid by giving in as little as possible to ease, and therefore to approximation, as was the case against Uruguay, in Lille, where fifteen fouls had been whistled against the Blues. Or… against Italy, at the start of the year, when, in Rome, the referee penalized them 18 times!
“Starting with him is something powerful”
Vigilant, Galthié’s troops will be able to revise their ranges in real conditions, the final meeting of Pool A presenting the unofficial characteristics of a round of 16, where the loser will only have his eyes to cry. Before looking ahead to the second phase of the World Cup, with direct elimination, with a probable quarter-final against South Africa on Sunday October 15. If the pack (within which Grégory Alldritt will make his return) presents solid guarantees, eyes will undoubtedly turn with more curiosity towards the hinge, as “unusual” under the blue jersey, as it flows from source to source. club (Bordeaux).
Well guess who, barely two months ago – namely just before the fateful injury to Romain Ntamack – would have predicted that no Toulouse would be present in Lyon in the cockpit, which will therefore squat the scrum half, Maxime Lucu, and the opener, Matthieu Jalibert. “When you play or practice with someone every day, you get to know them. I played a lot of matches with Mathieu. We get along very well, we spend time together. Obviously, we play in the same club, so bonds are created. […] Starting with him is something strong for us. It’s an opportunity and also a form of tranquility to do it with him,” calmly explained the first, who, in the grigri department, we make sure to remind you that he has never lost with the Blues (and vice versa) in 17 selections.
PS: a whole article dedicated to the French team, without any speculation on the consequences of a maxillo-zygomatic fracture, that must seem strange, right? It is perhaps also a little relaxing, the subject having to come up again in the imminent future anyway.
#facing #Blues #Italian #Nazionale #worst #Libération