The last tour of the XV of France in Argentina left its mark in many ways. As we prepare to host Japan, New Zealand and (again) Argentina in November, changes are expected. And not just from an organizational point of view…
It was in a room at the Emperador in Buenos Aires, located on the 16th floor, that we left Fabien Galthié, at the end of a summer tour which had a profound impact on people’s minds. The fault, obviously, is the extra-sporting affairs which overshadowed the promising performance of the Blues during the first test match, won in Mendoza (13-28). There is no need to return here to the tragic episodes of this escapade in South America, but rather to assess the consequences for the future. “There will be a before and an after”, confessed the president of the FFR, Florian Grill, upon his return to France. It is about the living environment imposed by the French squad. For Antoine Dupont, captain soon to return after a year of absence, and his partners: change is now.
Upon their arrival at the CNR in Marcoussis, the 42 players summoned will therefore have to sign a new charter outlining their extra-sporting scope of action. The document is ready, it has been submitted to coach Fabien Galthié and all of his staff. Jean-Marc Lhermet, vice-president in charge of the French teams, took advantage of the staff’s back-to-school seminar organized in Pau (from September 24 to 28) to submit it to Galthié and his deputies: Laurent Sempéré, Patrick Arlettaz, William Servat , Shaun Edwards, Nicolas Jeanjean and Jérôme Garces. It was during these few days spent “training to train”, with the Hopes of the Paloise Section, that the French staff subscribed to the new living environment constructed by the federal staff after a series of consultations. Since the States General of August 29, federal officials have exchanged, discussed and listened to coaches of the French teams, clubs, leaders of foreign federations but also former internationals. The living environment of the Blues has therefore undergone a real facelift (read elsewhere).
Nouchi, Attissogbe and Guillard expected
On a sporting level, the staff has also gotten back into working order. After the back-to-school seminar, weekly videoconference meetings followed one another. Those on Monday allowed each member to present their list of 42 players drawn from among the 70 names followed since the start of the Top 14. There was some debate. Every time. Trends have emerged, as has a first group outline. Here again, the tour to Argentina left its mark, with some players having scored valuable points. The Montpellier Léni Nouchi, the Palois Théo Attisogbe or the Lyonnais Michaël Guillard should be seen near Marcoussis from October 27. “I am confident that, in this group, there are 5 to 6 premium players for future years”announced Fabien Galthié after the victory over the Pumas in Mendoza. These three names were probably lying around in the head of the coach. Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, without the legal case which concerns them, would also have been there. About them, during the debriefing of the South American tour, didn’t Galthié say in these columns: “I don’t speak of them in the imperfect. They are still part of our gems” ? The rest will tell us when their past will be closed…
In July, the Blues sportingly missed a great opportunity: winning the two test matches of the Argentine series for the first time since 1998. The context was not favorable (a mild understatement) and even pushed the tricolor rugby performance. Because, remember, with six rookies, an average age of 24.5 years and an average of seven selections in the starting XV, Fabien Galthié’s players hit hard in Mendoza, against the future finalist of the Rugby Championship . Anything but trivial.
At the dawn of this autumn tour, where Japan, New Zealand and once again Argentina are now advancing, the French XV is therefore expected on a sporting but also behavioral level. A major double challenge for French rugby, which has suffered badly in recent weeks.
