One year after the South African trauma, where are the Blues?

XV OF France – A year ago, France was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the World Cup against South Africa. A year later, we take stock.

We are one year to the day after the cruel elimination of the XV of France. This trauma in the quarter-final of the World Cup, against the future world champions South Africa (28-29). A defeat of one point which changed the destiny of the men of Fabien Galthié, scheduled to be world champions at home. Or so we thought. Because we (perhaps a little naively) saw this team a little more beautiful than it really was. And this defeat somewhat changed the relationship between the XV of France and its public. And especially between the public and their coach.

A coach increasingly called into question

But also by certain observers and players of the France team. On February 24, in the columns of our colleagues at The Team, Pierre Berbizier, former coach of the Blues from 1991 to 1995, did not mince his words. « He doesn’t care about you, so he doesn’t care about us. This is indecent when compared with the restraint and dignity of the Scots. For me, the technician Galthié was unmasked at the World Cup, he lost credit, but as he wants to remain the central character, he obliges himself with this offbeat communication.

On the public side, disenchantment is also present. Even if it does not yet result in audience drops in matches and in the stands, the communication of Fabien Galthié tenses the lovers of the XV of France. And the rumors circulating about a potential tenure of Leo Barre in 15 and that of Thomas Ramos in 10, arouse criticism at a time when Matthieu Jalibert is off to a good start to the season. A lack of understanding, including among the supporters of Stade Toulousain.

Businesses that damaged the image of the Blues

2024 is also a year marked by business. Including that ofOscar Jegou et Hugo Auradouaccused of rape, during the summer tour in Argentina. If the case is still ongoing and the trend is towards a dismissal (which does not constitute innocence), we will also remember that the players left behind the backs of the FFR executives, after the case was broke out and on the evening of the last match of the tour. A few hours before Jégou-Auradou, it is Melvyn Jaminet who in the middle of a storm. The Toulon fullback had made racist comments on Instagram in Argentina, the night following the Blues’ success against the Pumas.

While this is far from being the first time that rugby players, including those of the French XV, have hit the headlines for nocturnal escapades (we will remember the affair Bastareaud in New Zealand), this release, a few days after this affair, caused considerable shock in France.

And the game in all this?

Sportingly, will this year have been one of reconstruction for the French XV? Hard to say. France began its 6 Nations Tournament with a crushing defeat at home against the future Irish winner (17-38). It is true that at that time, we had the specter of the difficult years of the French XV, when it was relegated to the second tier of international rugby. And the almost miraculous draw against Italy on the 3rd day (13-13) did not dispel the doubts. Finally, France, by painfully dominating England (33-31), took 2nd place. But the Blues evolved without Antoine Dupontin preparation for the Olympic Games in rugby 7. With the success that we know.

The tour to Argentina initially brought satisfaction, before France lost against Argentina in the second test, under the backdrop of a dispute Jégou-Auradou. However, this tour is difficult to analyze, the XV of France being deprived of its major players, resting after the Top 14 season. Difficult to get an idea of ​​the real value of our French. We will know a little more in November.

What about the value of their opponents? There France will find in the first match a Japan team more than declining and far from its aura of 2019 (quarter-finalist of the World Cup). But also in the second match a New Zealand team which suffered during the last Rugby Championship and which will have previously faced Japan and especially an England team in the midst of a rugby revival. What if the revealing match was simply not the match against Argentina, the Blues’ final match in 2024? The semi-finalists of the last World Cup and third in the last Rugby Championship (having beaten South Africa) should give Galthié’s Tricolores a hard time.