XV of France – “I fear the black threat”: the chronicle of Richard Dourthe

I'll probably surprise you but I didn't find the Japanese as bad as people want to say. To be frank, Eddie Jones' guys even surprised me a lot in direct conquest, as they were so clean on their introductions in closed scrums and imperturbable in touch, as evidenced by the only ball stolen in this sector by Alexandre Roumat at the hour of play. On the other hand, our guests hit a wall on Saturday evening for eighty minutes, both because the French defense was aggressive and because the physical relationship was largely unfavorable to the Japanese. In short? If I did not enjoy myself in front of my television, I nevertheless witnessed a good gallop of tests and an attractive first outing, it being understood here that the inaugural match of an autumn tour is generally the opportunity, for the French team, to take their bearings and find automatisms.

However, I fear that the Tricolores will now be forced to raise their voices several decibels if they want to beat New Zealand for the third time in a row. Like you, I saw the last Tour Noir match in Ireland and they had a strange effect on me that evening. The Blacks, they hit in defense, “counter ruck” like the damned, smash the opposition in closed scrums and can move from one game system to another without the overall result suffering: obviously, the Neo- Zealanders beat England at Twickenham (22-24) by setting the field on fire then, against Ireland (13-23), suddenly reduced the sail, accelerating only once to send Will Jordan on trial. I also don't forget that they have a real war machine in the person of this formidable third line, Wallace Sititi. The Irish right pillar (Tom O'Toole, 1.85m and 129kg) will probably not contradict me, I imagine: came on at 50^e minute, he left the Aviva Stadium in the 53rd^e after taking in the teston the titan I am talking about and to whom Scott Robertson, the boss of the All Blacks, has already asked to chase Antoine Dupont at the Stade de France…

For the “Roume”, I felt it…

Before completely switching to the most beautiful poster of this autumnal parenthesis, I would like to quickly return to the men who, in my opinion, confirmed during this France-Japan that they had an international dimension. Thomas Ramos, already, has once again proven his omnipotence in a position which is not a priori his and, both hand and foot, given the tricolor offensive animation often deadly trappings. Paul Boudehent, the Angers bus, is taking more and more place in the hierarchy of the third lines and his return to the highest level will push François Cros to sublimate himself in the coming weeks. I don't forget, finally, that I was one of the first to announce on the air that Alexandre Roumat was not only a good club player: perfect in his runs, always right in his passing timing and more skillful than anyone else, “La Roume” proved me right on Saturday evening and, to be honest, I feel a certain pleasure from it. And not just because his father is a friend, you bunch of slanderers…