2023-09-21 23:35:46
“You have to enjoy yourself”assured French third row Charles Ollivon before the match. “Above all, we want to leave with satisfaction and pleasure”added his teammate Thibaud Flament. ” We are going to have fun “, swore for his part Namibian No. 8 Prince Gaoseb. Lady ! To hear some of the protagonists of this France-Namibia this Thursday, September 21 in Marseille, one could believe the debates were placed under the sign of friendly confrontation rather than the fiery World Cup meeting.
So certainly, the third stage of the Blues’ adventure in this competition was not the most tense meeting ever, the favorites meeting one of the weakest oppositions of the tournament. But as soon as the actors entered the field, it was clear that on the blue side the stakes were a little heavier than the lightness of certain speeches. The fault lies in this bad copy made a week earlier by the XV of France against Uruguay (27-12), crossed out everywhere and unworthy of good students claiming the first prize in the competition. Enough to annoy Fabien Galthié, forced to force his smile, and to frown on the executives who returned to get the right score against the Namibians.
Serious and diligent
“We have to play the best possible match in terms of result but also in form”, Captain Antoine Dupont had stared. In other words: no serious, abstain. And they were, extremely serious, these Blues, from the quickly thunderous start with a try in the sixth minute from Damian Penaud signing the French intentions. With constant application, without rushing but without lingering either, the Blues would parade like on parade to pass the opposing line 8 times in the first half. Stacking a double from Damian Penaud, another from Jonathan Danty returning from injury and celebrating his first World Cup match as best as possible, then achievements from Charles Ollivon, Thibaud Flament, Antoine Dupont and young winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey .
54-0 at the break, the Blues were on time, reassuring and spectacular, facing the Namibians offering little resistance. It was about working on the game launches, and varying the offensive combinations: the Blues offered a nice variation in this area, and they did not let up in the second half. The festival continued with five more tries from Baptiste Couilloud, Damian Penaud, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Charles Ollivon, and Melvyn Jaminet, plus a final penalty try ending the Namibians’ ordeal (96-0). After the disappointment of Uruguay, the response of the executives lives up to the ambitions of Fabien Galthié’s group.
Concern around Antoine Dupont
The only downside was the exit at the start of the second period of playmaker Antoine Dupont, victim of a head-to-head tackle by the Namibian captain, punished for this action by a red card. Examinations are planned to make a precise diagnosis of the player’s injury, with the coach speaking directly “a suspicion of a crack or fracture on the jawbones”.
Italy now awaits the Blues after a long fortnight’s tunnel (October 6). With nothing but an expected victory at the end. France has only three defeats against the Transalpines, the last dating back to 2013 in Rome (18-23). But the killjoys will of course point out that the last clash with the Italians, at the opening of the 2023 Six Nations Tournament, was very complicated for the Blues due to indiscipline (18 penalties conceded then). The Italians had even led the way at the hour mark, before a liberating try from Matthieu Jalibert (29-24 in the end). Another competition, different timing of course. The Blues have just recharged their confidence capital. It would be good not to draw on it before a decisive quarter-final.
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