Convincing for his return to the France team, the back of the Stade Toulousain looks back on the difficulties encountered against the Wallabies and evokes the shock to come against the Springboks, where the game on foot will be decisive.
The australians have jostled you for a long time during this meeting…
Thomas Ramos : It wasn’t easy but there is victory at the end, that’s what you have to remember today (Saturday). It had been a while since the team had played together. I’m not going to say it was a recovery match, but it was a match where you had to find a little connection. This end to the match is rather positive for us, it shows that we didn’t give up, that we went for this victory. It shows a good state of mind.
You have long struggled to set up your game…
We respected the game plan and what we had worked on during the 15 days we worked. We also said to ourselves that by respecting what we put in place, the Australians would wear out, and that we would have spaces at the end of the match and that’s what happened. You have to hold that.
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Did the Australians surprise you by playing a lot on foot?
We had analyzed the video that they kicked less than what they did, that there were in particular fewer high balloons. We had also analyzed that they were not very well placed on the third curtain. But tonight, it was a great strength for them. They were always very well placed, they had a quality kicking game, so they put us in difficulty a few times. And we had trouble finding spaces. They were three behind and we did not expect that. We had seen before the match that they could even find themselves alone at this level of the field. It was a bit surprising. But it’s a big team, the guys know how to adapt, they had a big game.
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How do you rate your performance?
I had a lot of fun, it’s been a while since I wanted to start or restart a match with the number 15 in the back in the France team. It feels a lot of good, especially with the victory at the end. If there had been a defeat, it would not have been the same. Winning this match, collectively and individually, will remain a great evening.
“There was a bit of positive pressure before the game”
From the first high balloon, you answered present…
I wanted to have fun on the field. On this first ball, I have a small space in front of me, I don’t necessarily expect it.
Were you under pressure before this game?
No… There was a bit of positive pressure because I was looking forward to it, I talked about it a lot with my relatives, the kick-off. When you’ve been preparing for a match for two weeks, you know you’re going to start it and you’re going to be expected, you only need one thing, it’s kick-off. I was looking forward to it. So I’m very happy.
“I grew a little, learned a little, I know what international rugby requires”
You had to find the right balance between kicking and trying to raise…
I grew up a bit, learned a bit, I know what international rugby demands. I’m still quite lucid. I tossed a ball or two that were okay and good to throw. After my kicking game can be better. We will review that with the coaches. But they were well organized on the third curtain, we didn’t expect that. We were waiting to look for the spaces and we couldn’t find them. I think it will take better kicking next week to put South Africa back even further.
It’s a big piece that awaits you next week against the Springboks, with still a lot of footwork…
We couldn’t have prepared this second game better than with what we had tonight. There was a lot of high footing from the Australians. It’s good, it’s going to prepare us well. We know the South Africans, we know it’s part of their game. You have to be ready, be focused, be united to get the balls in the air. And if we don’t have them in the air, we’ll have to go get them on the ground…
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