The France
Beware of relaxation! If the Argentina team does not have the pedigree of New Zealand, the semi-finalist of the 2023 World Cup had a good year, having also beaten the All Blacks but also the South African world champions.
In this fall tour, she also crushed Italy (50-18) before narrowly losing to Ireland (22-19).
But it is true that on the French side, the November matches were largely a success that a defeat would not spoil, but would still overshadow.
This small point lead (30-29) against New Zealand allows us to see the glass half full, after a 2024 Tournament finished second, but which had led to criticism of the Blues' play.
“I find you tough on 2024”Fabien Galthié replied to journalists after the victory against New Zealand. “For the moment we are the best European nation” over the year, France having suffered only two defeats, just like Ireland, compared to seven for England.
Among these two defeats, we find in particular Argentina, on July 13 (33-25), in a difficult context after the arrest of Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, who are still currently charged with aggravated rape. The prosecution requested a dismissal of the case, but the court's decision has not yet been made.
The opener of the XV of France Thomas Ramos in training on the eve of the match against Argentina, November 21, 2024 at the Stade de France / Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP
The great victory during the first test match in Argentina (28-13) was also overshadowed by the excesses off the field.
However, the French XV will be radically different from this summer: comparing with the second Argentina-France, only five names out of 23 are similar, including two starters (Gros on the front line and Barré at the back).
Concurrence
“It’s a year of post-World Cup transition which is both very rich and very difficult to get through”explains Galthié.
This observation is true for a few players who suffered a clear downgrade, the latest being the third line center Grégory Alldritt, not even in the group for Argentina even though he had played the Tournament as captain.
Matthieu Jalibert, downgraded in the hierarchy of openers, himself did not make the last week in Marcoussis could instead play Saturday in Vannes, with his club Union Bordeaux-Bègles.
Third row Charles Ollivon, not in the group against Japan and then replacing against New Zealand, is back as a starter, proof that demotions are not a path of no return.
“We all manage to realize the fact that there are a lot of people at all positions, also the fact that these are not necessarily punishments or definitive things, that we have to move forward, s 'hold on, don't let go and the doors end up reopening behind you' emphasized his roommate Gabin Villière at a press conference. He knows it well: starting in the first two matches of the 2023 World Cup, he only wore the blue jersey again a year later against New Zealand.
The year also allowed the emergence of new players, like Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Paul Boudehent, three tries each in November and who will start on Friday.
The Blues only had six days of recovery, one less than Argentina, after two very energy-intensive matches, with more than 200 tackles made each time.
“It will take the same energy”warned Gabin Villière.
The French are particularly familiar with the Argentinians in the Top 14, including full-back Juan Cruz Mallia, author of a spectacular try against Ireland and a high-quality 2024 with Stade Toulouse. Ten players from the Top 14 are on the scoresheet for a team that has changed very little since the narrow defeat against Ireland.
