“This victory does us a lot of good”declared Fabien Galthié, coach of the XV of France, after the test match won against New Zealand on Saturday at the Stade de France (30-29).
He also insisted on his team's ability to “make a rounded back”. “It’s very strong the state of mind that she showed in difficult times”he stressed at a press conference.
QUESTION: Is this a founding victory for the XV of France?
ANSWER: “It is certain that this victory does us a lot of good, especially since we had a scenario that was not ideal with an injury very early to Tevita (Tatafu). So we also had problems linked to our scrum, to our conquest, lost balls, interceptions which cost us a try. But the team is holding its back, and the state of mind it showed in difficult times, in weak times, is very strong. And what's also good is what happened at half-time, and the way in which we managed to resolve the problems of conquest already, and rectify the situation in the way we played. »
Q: What did you think of the French team's play this evening?
R: “We played against a team that had been playing together for six months, which was playing its thirteenth match and which was well-established and well-oiled. We have three weeks of preparation and a match against Japan, so we are not starting on the same bases. But we have assets. We had a roadmap that we identified to be pragmatic. The players didn't give up and that's very, very positive. »
Q: Does this victory validate your choices after a difficult year?
R: “I find you harsh on our 2024 season. We are in 2024 the best European nation at the moment. We lost a match against Ireland, a match against Argentina in the conditions you know. I find judgment difficult. We still have one match to play against Argentina (next Friday at 9:10 p.m.). It's a solid year in 2024, with matches that weren't always successful or difficult, but the team coped. It's a year of post-World Cup transition which is both very rich and very hard to get through, but we get through it. The experienced players responded this evening, and we have young or new players who took their place. »
Comments collected at a press conference
France
