2023-08-13 14:11:00
After a defeat and a victory on the wire, the preparation can worry the supporters. “It’s part of our journey,” reassures Charles Ollivon.
By NB with AFP The Blues began their preparation for the World Cup with a defeat and a narrow victory against Scotland. © JEFF PACHOUD / AFP Published on 08/13/2023 at 2:11 p.m.
An apathetic second period at Murrayfield (25-21 defeat), a close success at Saint-Étienne (30-27)… The XV of France wants to be reassuring, but the World Cup is fast approaching and it is making a start halftone preparation.
At Geoffroy-Guichard on Saturday, the Blues led 27-10 in the 44th minute and third-line try Charles Ollivon sparkled for his comeback. The case seemed folded, the executive players, recalled for this second warm-up match, had made their talent speak and Scotland seemed unable to stop the blue machine. But, as often, the XV of France of Fabien Galthié experienced an air hole, a jump in concentration, which played tricks on them. READ ALSO Rugby World Cup 2023: discover the list of 42 Blues selected
In Edinburgh, a week ago, the French, admittedly largely overhauled and deprived of scrum half Antoine Dupont, opener Romain Ntamack or third line Grégory Alldritt, had suffered a scathing 22-0 in forty minutes, which had cost them the victory (25-21). In Saint-Étienne, the French saw the XV du Chardon, carried by a Finn Russell in the legs at the opening, come back to 27-27 with ten minutes remaining. And the Blues, still in the run-in, trembled until the penalty for winning, signed Thomas Ramos (79th).
A break-in necessary for the Blues
“To be ready on September 8, you had to go through a game like that. We had to find benchmarks, still work physically, sometimes be in the hard… It’s part of our path, ”tempered Charles Ollivon. “The important thing is to win. It’s reassuring. We knew it would be hard, that we would have to hang on. We gave everything. We advance, there is never an easy match. It’s a victory against a very good Scottish team but we want to go further. We are not going to jump for joy but we really had to go through it, ”continued the Toulonnais. READ ALSO Rugby World Cup 2023: test transformed for the environment?
To listen to Fabien Galthié, in fact, the temporary poor form of his flock was predictable: “Some players have not played together since March. We are in a physiological work which is not intended to “perform” today”. “Scotland have a month and a half of preparation ahead of us, that counts. The goal is to keep working. We have about four weeks left to prepare, we have to ramp up, ”said the coach of the Blues. “On the content of rugby, it was also very interesting: it allowed us to see what we were capable of doing, our offensive and defensive inabilities […] It was a perfect practice match,” he said.
Fatigue, lack of benchmarks… The Scots have also highlighted the shortcomings of the Blues, who are coming out of two big internships in Monaco or Marcoussis, in the Paris suburbs, and are now preparing for Capbreton, in the south-west of France. Despite everything, the XV of France ended up winning this match. This can only be beneficial mentally, especially since the talent is there: Antoine Dupont was once again stratospheric until his exit, the second line Cameron Woki showed off in the rucks and on the tackle, the third line Charles Ollivon was thunderous in the game, intractable in defense and dominating in touch…
Injury update
Certainly, the injuries of the opener Romain Ntamack, who “suffered a small hyperextension of the knee”, according to Galthié, or the prop Cyril Baille, who suffers from “a big contusion of the calf “right, come to add to the unavailability of three forwards, François Cros (adductors), Paul Willemse (ischios) or Romain Taofifneua (ischios). But also from the center Jonathan Danty, who came out holding his ribs. READ ALSOConcussions in rugby: “It was like a total disconnection”
The upcoming return of third row Anthony Jelonch, operated after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in March, is good news. Because, in the home stretch before the opening gala match against the All Blacks on September 8, the Blues will need all their vitality. In the meantime, they have two preparation matches left to answer the questions: against Fiji and Australia, on August 19 and 27.
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