A big victory and a string of tries: the Blues never trembled against Japan during their first autumn test match (52-12). However, one week before facing a New Zealand team of a completely different ilk, there are obviously some adjustments to be made.
We will immediately grant Fabien Galthié's Blues the excuse of the first tour match, eight months after the last match of this “Premium” team and the fact that this inaugural duel against the Japanese was “folded” at half-time whistled at the Stade de France (31-0). But a few days before challenging the All Blacks (Saturday, 9:10 p.m.), winners successively for their side in England and Ireland, it will be necessary to erase certain inaccuracies.
To disciplines
Conceding eleven penalties in such an open match, far from the ruck war in Dublin the day before (where the New Zealanders were only whistled 5 times!), must somewhat annoy Fabien Galthié. Tatafu, Cros (in one half), Roumat and especially Jalibert (entered in the 51st), who dives into a ruck without a stake, each made mistakes twice. Between the 50th and 60th minutes, the Blues even found themselves under pressure in their 22 meters, forcing referee Damian Schneider to increase the advantages, even to the point of warning captain Antoine Dupont that the indiscipline had to be stopped.
Small or big mistakes and indulgences
After starting with Antoine Dupont's blocked clearance kick, which almost cost a try, the Blues experienced some slag. A few forwards and a total of sixteen lost balls. Two missed passes from Dupont, the first in the 22 meters towards Attisogbe blocked by Mauvaka, the other at the end of a throw-in which pushed the Blues back thirty meters, but also some “forgetfulness” in attack.
In the 54th minute, Antoine Dupont offers himself a breakthrough of which he has the secret in the middle of the field after an ultra-dominant scrum, but at the exit, and while he has three teammates on his left, Attisogbe and Gallleton and Roumat in their axis, he decides to play a duel with his defender and tries, in vain, to outflank him to the right. Certainly a remnant of the “september” reflex… but Léo Barré had imitated it eight minutes earlier: after enormous work in the middle of the field by the Meafou-Rumat duo and a relay from Ramos, arriving on the Japanese 40 meter line, the Stade Français back preferred to keep the ball rather than serve Attisogbe who benefited from a boulevard in front of him. We will pass on the interception of Tatafu on Matthieu Jalibert, even if such sequences should help the fifteen of France to find the right balance so as not to fall into the desire to go too quickly to “touch” the corridors, a new trend in this beginning of autumn, which requires adjustments.
Be careful in defense
The defense sector has always been a strong point since Fabien Galthié was at the head of this team. With statistics that have always flirted with 90% tackle success. The match against Japan was no exception to the rule (87%), even if Antoine Dupont's teammates still made a lot of tackles (221). We clearly noted that the Blues sometimes did not find the keys to practice against the offensive inclinations of Eddie Jones' men, and they generally succeeded in discouraging them, but a few defensive sequences must have darkened the notebook of the guru Shaun Edwards.
Because the Japanese, even if they appeared weak throughout the match, managed to chain moves in the 2nd period and captain Tatekawa's try, where the French defense was clearly undermined, is symptomatic. It all started with a scrum in the Japanese own 22 meters, a sequence of five periods of play, two off-loads and severe breaches to cover 80 meters and score, despite the return of Dupont. At the time of the assessment, and after an unequal VI Nations Tournament (more than 24 points conceded on average per match, but 38 and 31 points conceded against Ireland and England), we say to ourselves that we will have to correct everything that against Jordan, Telea, Ioane and all the “planes” of the All Blacks.
