And eleven! But god it was hard, exhausting, undecided, in this Stade de France where the warm public was striving to raise a now chilly temperature. Saturday evening, it was indeed necessary to wait for the epilogue of a complicated match from start to finish to see the Blues dispose of Australia, 30-29, thus extending a hexagonal record of invincibility which dates back to 1937, in the framework of the first of the three autumn test-matches where traditionally the nations of the northern hemisphere receive those of the southern hemisphere. A series that “demonstrates that what we do works” pragmatically observed Captain Antoine Dupont. The coach, Fabien Galthié, saluting in passing, with a legitimate touch of self-satisfaction, the “validation of the choices made since the beginning of this mandate”, around a team which, three years after its arrival at the head of the group, “still often remains the youngest” in front of her adversaries – a thinly veiled way of implying that she retains a real margin of progress…
The Blues galvanized by their Grand Slam
In truth, we expected, if not a formality, at least a much better controlled performance from the Blues who, for almost a year and a half, no longer know how to lose. Moreover, it was precisely these same Australians who had beaten them last, in July 2021. But, the XV of France at the time, at the end of the season, had taken the direction of Brisbane and Melbourne in a configuration “experimental” (two-thirds of the holders were missing) and above all, galvanized since by a Grand Slam (the first for twelve years) won at the end of March in the Six Nations Tournament, he has meanwhile become a castar of world rugby. Guided by scrum-half Antoine Dupont, rightly voted the best player on the planet, France lives on cloud nine… Which, however, almost brought it down some terribly lively and inspired Wallabies, like this essay of anthology scored in the middle of the first half by Lalakai Foketi.
However, the troops of Dave Rennie had arrived in Saint-Denis by shaving the walls, after three consecutive defeats in the Championship, the competition between the four tenors of the southern hemisphere (which they completed in third place), then , last weekend, a meager victory against Scotland, 16-15, after a meeting of a pitiful technical level. Also, these Aussies had perhaps been unconsciously considered as a warm-up lap by the Blues, their gaze already turned towards Marseille where, in a week, they will host South Africa (beaten this same Saturday by Ireland, 19-16), reigning world champion… and the only big game still missing from the recent tricolor hunting table.
All eyes on the Hexagon World Cup
Alas, hooked by this antipodal plaster of Captain Haddock, with a rather sterile kicking game and individuals not always at the (high) level to which they have accustomed us (starting with Romain Ntamack, whose tenure, when he returned from injury, will be like a poisoned gift), France will only owe their salvation to the penalty points gleaned by Thomas Ramos, then, in a last ditch effort, to the devastating power of winger Damian Penaud, scoring at the end of a personal achievement the try to win. A feat that allows the group, here more obstinate than spirited, around a solid Toulouse structure, not to squander this famous capital of confidence which had fled the elders for so many years. “This scenario pushed us to go for the victory, with a team that knew how to remain mobilized despite the problems encountered, to adapt and react, to finish both halves strong”, thus optimized Fabien Galthié, according to whom “affect and emotion help us surpass ourselves”.
A free warning, as they say, ten months before this French World Cup to which all eyes will turn more and more inexorably, according to the eleven matches remaining to be played (autumn tests, Tournament 2023 and matches of preparation) before D-Day. A certain September 8, 2023, where, not far from the necropolis of the kings of France, New Zealand will stand, as an appetizer, on the road to a first crowning title planetary, certainly still far away, but which has never seemed so unimaginative.