between injuries and lack of rhythm, the pillars are swaying

Between long-term injured players and executives looking for playing time, the French XV lacks certainty on the front line before starting the Six Nations Tournament, and faces a shortage of right pillars behind the indestructible Uini Atonio.

When the experienced right-hander from La Rochelle (34 years old, 63 caps) limped out against Leinster two weeks ago, the Blues staff must have trembled.

Fortunately for Antoine Dupont's teammates, it was only a false alarm for the gentle giant (1.97 m, 150 kg), definitely not built like the rest of the world and who was able to play again the following week.

After the failure in the quarter-final of the 2023 World Cup, the international retirement announced by Atonio had already raised concerns. Two weeks later, he turned around, convinced by the staff. “The circle was not closed” explains to AFP the pillar, which projects into “this new group from 2023 until 2027”.

There was no shortage of candidates for his succession, without imposing themselves, either due to lack of consistency or due to injuries.

Racingman Demba Bamba (26 years old, 28 caps) is still treating his knee, as is Bordeaux-Bègles player Sipili Falatea (27 years old, 14 caps). Bayonnais Tevita Tatafu, who made his debut for Blue in November, has not yet returned to competition since his match against the All Blacks in mid-November, injured in an ankle.

A time in competition with Atonio, the Montpellier Mohamed Haouas is no longer in the plans of coach Fabien Galthié, after several convictions, including one for domestic violence.

Present in the group for the Tournament, Rochelais Georges-Henri Colombe still lacks the stamina to claim to be a starter.

Eight pillars called

Faced with these “uncertainties” as Galthié recognizes in the specialized bi-weekly Midi Olympique this week, the coach notes the damage: the French do not “are not strong enough” in scrum since the World Cup.

“Our pillars are not less or stronger than elsewhere but they have a recovery, preparation and playing time which is different from that of other selections”adds Galthié, indirectly pointing to the crazy pace of the Top 14.

“We have four right pillars in the list, which allows us to see the state of form of each person without necessarily being under pressure as soon as things shake a little” declared assistant coach Laurent Sempéré on Wednesday, to explain the choice to retain eight pillars in Marcoussis at the start of the week, against six usually.

Among them is also a returnee: the former Parisian and Clermontois Rabah Slimani (35 years old, 57 caps), no longer called up since 2019 but who bounced back this season with the Irish province of Leinster.

On the left, if the situation is a little more solid, uncertainties remain, particularly after the injury of Rochelais Reda Wardi, injured in the ribs against Leinster and who will miss the start of the Tournament.

One of the best left-handers in the world, Toulouse's Cyril Baille, risks lacking rhythm, with barely three matches played, six months after a serious ankle injury.

Same fight for Jean-Baptiste Gros, who holds the rope to start against Wales. The Toulonnais, very prominent this fall with the Blues, has only played one match at Sale on Sunday since the end of November and his hamstring injury against Argentina.

Another returner, his teammate Dany Priso, who has not played in Blue since 2022, was therefore called up with Perpignan left-hander Giorgi Beria (0 selection).

“We needed to see the evolution of the players, the state of form of each one”explains Sempéré, for whom the physical state of Baille and Gros is “very reassuring”. “They manage to support the load without problem”assures the coach of the conquest. See you on January 31 against Wales, at the opening of the Tournament, to find out for sure.