Will Cyril Baille and Jean-Baptiste Gros find their place in the French XV in time for the Six Nations Tournament? When France hosts Wales on January 31 at the Stade de France to open the 2025 edition, the two international left pillars, currently recovering from injury, will only have a few games in their legs.
Three at best for Toulouse Cyril Baille (31 years old, 50 caps): a defeat against La Rochelle (January 4), then two matches in the Champions Cup against the Sharks (January 12) and Leicester (January 19). At least one for Toulonnais Jean-Baptiste Gros (25 years old, 32 caps): against Sale (January 19) in the Champions Cup. A bit tight for the start of the Tournament? Coach Fabien Galthié will be able to say it when he reveals a first list of 42 players in the week of January 13 to prepare for the Tournament.
The medical staff of the two clubs and the French XV do not want to take any risks by having the players play again too soon at the risk of a relapse. But one thing seems certain – barring a last minute glitch – and that is that the French XV will be able to count on two exceptional left pillars at some point in the next Tournament.
A solid return for Baille
This is the ideal program for Cyril Baille who made his comeback to competition on January 4, 197 days after suffering a double injury: a rupture of the ligaments of the left ankle combined with a fracture of the fibula, which occurred in last June during the Top 14 semi-final against La Rochelle. Although he had appeared several times in the Toulouse group in recent weeks, notably during the victory against Stade Français (38-23) on December 29 at the Stadium, he had not yet been on the match sheet. .
For his return, Baille took on the role of captain in a rejuvenated Toulouse team. As a privilege, it was he who led the group to the locker rooms after leaving the bus. And it was by crossing a guard of honor that he entered the Marcel-Deflandre pitch in a stadium which was playing to a sold-out crowd for the 100th consecutive time. During the fifty minutes he was on the pitch, the left pillar did not do poorly. Even if he was not the biggest tackler of the game (4 tackles), he did not miss any. Author of three passes (not yet completely at his level) and a crossing, he knew how to hold the ball when necessary, scrape in the rucks, slow down the opponent's ball exits, motivate his young guys as well as outside the field. His exit was greeted by a standing ovation from the public (he gave a short two-minute rebuke at the end of the match).
Expected return of Jean-Baptiste Gros
“I didn't expect to start today,” he confided after the match. “Of course I was a little apprehensive about the pace, but in the end it went pretty well. The scrums were very involved against Uini (Atonio, his colleague on the first line in blue, editor's note). I was in the bath for a retake. »
Former footballer (until he was 11), Cyril Baille has been considered one of the best left props in the world for almost five years. In his position, he faces competition from Jean-Baptiste Gros, a convincing starter in the three matches of the Autumn Nations Series against Japan (where he scored his first international try), New Zealand and Argentina.
Injured in the right thigh in the 3rd minute of this last match, Gros has only just returned to collective training with Toulon on Thursday January 2. Just a year ago, he underwent neck surgery to treat a hernia which caused him to miss the 2024 Tournament. Returning to the field in April, he has not played again since November 23.
If this will only be the third Tournament for Jean-Baptiste Gros, it will be the 7th for Cyril Baille. Both were from the 25-13 victory against England on March 19, 2022 (Baille holder and Big substitute), the last time France won the Grand Slam. While waiting for their return, Reda Wardi, Giorgi Beria and Dany Priso could largely fill these absences.
A Tournament without Ollivon or Fickou
Conversely, two executives might not return in time for Tournament. Third-row Charles Ollivon (31 years old, 46 caps) was forced to leave the field on Saturday January 4 during the match against Racing 92. The French international appears to have suffered an injury to his right knee in the sixth minute.
Ollivon must undergo examinations at the start of the week to assess the severity of his injury and his availability. Furthermore, another executive of the French team, Gaël Fickou, center of Racing 92, fractured his left thumb the previous weekend, an injury which will also deprive him of the start of the Tournament. Unavailable between six and eight weeks, the international (30 years old, 93 caps) could return for the match against Italy in Rome on February 23.
The Blues preparation course is scheduled from January 19 in Marcoussis.
