“There is never any comfort for anyone”, “we can do better”, “players have revealed themselves”, Galthié’s analysis after France-Argentina

Fabien, what do you remember from this victorious Tour?

For us it was an important gathering since some of us hadn't seen each other for a year. For others, it was necessary to regain momentum at the end of 2024. It was important to be present in these three matches (Japan 52-12, New Zealand 30-29, Argentina 37-23). It was done with a particular sequence, since after the All Blacks, we had only six days before playing Argentina. These are teams which are finishing their season and which have been established for six months. So we had a challenge, it was to move quickly, to find an organization to be able to perform. And it was done, so we are satisfied.

Would you say that the victory against the Pumas is under control?

From the moment you finish with 14 points difference, when we see what Argentina had done seven days earlier in Ireland (22-19 defeat), we will say that we controlled better than the 'Ireland, but everything is relative. When we returned to the locker room with this gap of 30 to 9, we told ourselves that we could be ambitious in the second half. But that was without the ability of the Argentines to react. So we are very satisfied with this result.

Is offensive efficiency the great satisfaction of this fall?

Yes, and we can do better because we have highlights that we don't conclude. But above all, we believed and respected our roadmap. We realized that we were both very dangerous, very effective in setting up the pitch, in managing the match and in having, in quotes, control of the match, particularly in the last twenty minutes. We are the ones who have control over the last three ends of the match. Even if we are never safe against these teams, we are still very high, the teams have possession lower down, we has strong moments.

We have a rejected test which is magnificent, unfortunately, for a well-advanced test. And then opposite, there are players who have qualities, who have managed to break the curtain. But even when they broke the tackles, we managed to reorganize ourselves. We take two tries following balls carried, and which come from hand faults, we were penalized in scrum, we also have the right to be pushed.

Do you feel that Act 2 of your mandate has begun? Are you where you want to be in terms of the evolution of the attacking game?

The offensive game is not an isolated structure. The offensive game depends both on our ability to control the balls, on the conquest phases but also on the combat phases, such as aerial duels. It also depends on our ability to defend well, and therefore to manage our energy well. We cannot isolate the offensive game from the whole, from our “kicking game” (football game) too. I would say we can do better but, honestly, we ticked these boxes each time to control these last 20 minutes, which was essential. The players are able to apply what we want to do, knowing that there is no need to check all the boxes, you have to check a few. And so far, so good.

I see things in continuity. The arrow of time is in its continuity, with the events we encountered. Even South Africa (defeat in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup), we can say, is part of our path. I don't believe that we should separate act 1 from act 2. The team is still at 80% victories, despite a year 2024 that some consider more or less successful. Of course, we have imperfections, slags, weak times, injuries. I am very sad for Jean-Baptiste Gros. He is in great shape but he gets injured on a forbidden move.

Are emulation and competition your two key words in preparing for the next World Cup in Australia?

That's always been the case. There has always been this emulation, this competition. But when you have a team which wins 80% of matches for four years – which has never happened in French rugby – and which has a series of 14 victories, it is normal to think that the players who compose it have potentially the level to remain holders. There is never comfort for anyone, but healthy emulation.

Wearing the French team jersey is sacred. And agreeing to wear it also means agreeing to experience great moments as we share them today. Basically, it's a lot of fun, but there are also difficult moments, personal and collective challenges.

Do these three successes help turn the page on your disastrous tour in Argentina last summer?

The Argentina Tour is also part of our history. There are players who have revealed themselves. The victory in Mendoza, with a team that had three caps of average age, was a successful victory. Unfortunately, afterwards, we had to play rugby with what had happened to us (the indictment for rape of Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou). It was very special, but it’s part of our team’s journey. We never prepared for Friday's match as a special reunion compared to what had happened. The Argentinians there accompanied us. We would like to thank them for the welcome they gave us in June and July.

Does this positive assessment validate your working method with 42 players?

It allows us to expand the potential, to start preparing some. Marko Gazzotti spent the month with us, he came on in the second half. Before that, it was Romain Buros who had a great match against the New Zealanders. I believe that this method creates emulation and quality in training.

The new ones don't tiptoe in, they challenge those who are there and the latter accept to be challenged. Over the eight years we spent together, the “42 method” was the basis. Last year, post-World Cup, the clubs made a lot of efforts, so we only started at 34. There, if we have the possibility of being at 42 thanks to the League/Federation agreements , for us, it’s extraordinary.

A final word on the VI Nations Tournament?

It is special since we host Wales in the opening (January 31) and Scotland in the closing (March 15). We will therefore have three trips in a row, to England (February 8), Italy (February 23) and Ireland (March 8). It's a very difficult competition par excellence, but that's why it's beautiful.