We will have to wait a little longer. Under the stroke of 8 p.m., we will know if the XV of France has kept its trophy or if Ireland has deprived it of it by dominating England, as is very likely. Is it really the main thing? By putting on a show in a conquered Stade de France, and pocketing the offensive bonus, Antoine Dupont and his teammates ended the Tournament on a high note, even if, trying too hard, they did not widen the gap. as they could have faced a Welsh team yet in bad shape (41-28).
This Saturday in Saint-Denis, it was another version of the Blues. In colors a little less flashy when launching the debates. A calm start, a few strokes of the accelerator, the recipe was all in all sufficient against the Welsh who gave their all in the first quarter of an hour. A try from North (8th) under the posts, just to show the right direction, an occupation of the tricolor camp, it was already a lot for a declining team having passed the milestone of old age.
Opposite, we felt Antoine Dupont and his band in the starting blocks, as if they had decided to inflict a small split session. Unlike their entry into the matter last week at Twickenham, where they had thrown themselves like wild animals on everything that wore white fabric and had ended up rolling out their giant steps on a red carpet to reap their triumph ( 10-53), they left slowly, very slowly. They still offered some flashes greeted by ovations and “Marseillaise”.
Ntamack, a sublime breakthrough
The first, and probably the most beautiful, comes from a player who had been rather discreet so far in the Tournament while his partners shone one after the other. Romain Ntamack, with his aerial stride, straight and swaying at the same time, not only pierced the red curtain which stood in front of him on the center line. He sailed, imperial, eyes behind his head, to find his captain Dupont with a small chistera, whose pass of more than twenty meters sent Damian Penaud to the test (10th). Everything was said, in one action. Talent, speed, precision on one side, feverishness and approximations on the other. If we add to this nascent tableau a touch of power, this closed blue scrum which constantly advances, these offensive tackles, these charges which hurt, we obtain a canvas with a rather beautiful effect.
The Welsh did not resist. Out of breath after twenty minutes of play, they only owed their renewed vigor to the generosity of a XV of France who closed the deal very quickly after returning from the locker room (34-7, 49th) and is then sometimes lost in a somewhat excessive champagne rugby. It will remain that the men of Fabien Galthié have fulfilled their contract. Since their defeat in Dublin (32-19) on February 11, they knew that the XV of Clover held their destiny in their hands and risked dispossessing them of their trophy this Saturday evening against England. Les Bleus have been able to measure throughout a competition that they have not mastered as they had hoped, what they must improve before presenting themselves as the favorites for the World Cup, in less than six months (September 8 – October 28).
France titled if…
– Ireland lose without bonus against England
– Ireland loses exactly seven points, therefore with a defensive bonus, but without winning an offensive bonus (4 tries): in this case, the two teams would be tied on points in the standings (20), tied unlike points (+59) but Ireland would not overtake France in the number of tries scored (21 for France, 16 for Ireland before this match).
Anything else will give the title to Ireland