IIt would be surprising if French rugby went through the fall without hearing the usual little refrain about the impact of duplicates on the balance and fairness of the Top 14.
If no championship day comes directly to telescope the programming of the three tests on the menu of the XV of France (Japan on Saturday November 9, New Zealand on Saturday November 16, Argentina on Friday November 22), this international parenthesis will in fact impact the club life for a little over a month.
Reminder of executives
The 42 players selected by Fabien Galthié will in fact be gathered in Marcoussis on October 27 and 28 at the end of the 8th day of Top 14. The federation – league agreement provides that during this first week of training, 23 players will be retained until ‘to Sunday and will therefore not be able to play the 9th day (November 2 and 3). The other 19 will return to the club. In the following weeks, a group of 28 players will be left at the disposal of the Blues coach until Sunday. Which will have an impact on the 10th day scheduled for the day after France – Argentina.
Nothing very new in this, nor very disturbing if those selected were harmoniously distributed among all residents of the Top 14.
On Wednesday, Fabien Galthié will announce his choices. After having done without his Premium players in July during a tour of South America, the sporting interest of which was quickly forgotten after the Mendoza affairs, the Blues coach will recall his executives.
After a lackluster season, to what extent will Galthié want to rejuvenate his group?
During his visits and meetings with club managers, a trend emerged. It would seem that Stade Toulousain and Union Bordeaux-Bègles are particularly involved, a sort of ISF, a tax on their good start to the season.
The people of Toulouse are used to it. The Bordelo-Béglais a little less so. They knew that the Blues staff would once again come looking for the nuggets of their back lines. If Nicolas Deportere is injured, Max Lucu, Matthieu Jalibert, Damian Penaud, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Yoram Moefana but also Romain Buros should be called up. However, they did not expect that so many players from the pack would have made a jump in the French hierarchy. Max Lamothe, Sipili Falatea, Cyril Cazeaux, Pierre Bochaton but also the young third lines Marko Gazzotti and Temo Matiu could be called up to Marcoussis. Even if it is to serve as sparring partners until Wednesday, a delicate period to manage which could open up for the UBB.
Tatafu expected
After a mixed post-World Cup season, to what extent will Galthié want to rejuvenate his group, to create emulation? We know that he plans to take his Premium players out of their comfort, to choose his starting XV on Wednesday only, after an uncompromising “Ball in Play” (this is the name for high-intensity training).
Tevita Tatafu, the right pillar of Bayonne, is expected. Invited to the Blues this summer, Antoine Frisch, the center of Toulon, Mickael Guillard, the second row of LOU, did not waste their time in Argentina. Neither do the Palois Théo Attissogbe and Émilien Gailleton. On the other hand, Cameron Woki, whose start to the season is like Racing 92, inconsistent, could be left aside.
