Three days before the kick-off of the meeting between the XV of France and Japan, the third row François Cros projects himself on this poster, talks about Antoine Dupont, the new living environment of the Blues and the 2027 World Cup….
There is a traffic jam at the third line post at this time…
There is indeed strong emulation, rich competition. This is also the case for all positions and it allows everyone to push their limits. I don't see this as a disadvantage but as an advantage.
The competition is even greater than before, however…
Everyone wants to be part of the France group. We have not yet decided on the team composition but there will inevitably be changes, in view of the match against Japan. Today, everyone is 200% involved for the good of the team. Everyone thinks about collective performance.
Are you also thinking about the 2027 World Cup in Australia?
The 2027 goal is in the back of our minds. But above all it requires tests to be won this fall, against nations that we don't face very often like the Japanese, the All Blacks or Argentina. […] Against Japan, a team that moves the game a lot and remains very disciplined, we will therefore have to stay on our guard.
Also read:
XV of France – The probable composition of the Blues against Japan: Yoram Moefana still in the center with Émilien Gailleton, Alexandre Roumat still number 7
There is also this return to the Stade de France, an arena that you left last year because of the Olympic Games…
It’s a stadium we enjoy playing in, obviously. But last year's campaign, in the provinces and in front of a different audience, we really liked. We were able to reach audiences that we would not normally reach. It was very positive.
How did you welcome the return to competition of Antoine Dupont, your teammate in Toulouse?
It was an important goal for him. He had the chance to win this gold medal, something incredible for him and French rugby. Antoine, he cut for a long time after that but came back just as strong, if not better, than he was before. This is good news for all of us. His move to 7s allowed him to experience a new type of rugby and develop qualities. Whatever he does, he always finds the flaw and the key, in fact.
How was the performance plan presented by Jean-Marc Lhermet and Raphaël Ibanez to govern the daily life of the French XV received by the France group?
Alright. We had to set a framework and then move us into pure rugby. It was done. The leaders presented the performance plan and now we are in working order. We all want to move forward.
What can you tell us about your Toulouse teammate Alexandre Roumat, who should start on Saturday evening in the third row?
He's an intelligent player, capable of blending into different positions, number 4, number 6 or number 8. So I'm very happy for him because he worked and learned from his journey. It's not insignificant what's happening to him today.
