XV of France – An autumn tour full of promise before the 2025 6 Nations Tournament

What if we tried the courage of nuance? In a Manichean society to the point of paroxysm, the bet is certainly risky. However, in a few months, the journey of the XV of France is none other than the beautiful reflection of a world where everything is black or white, never gray. Where we are for or against, without always debating respect for others. Remember. At the heart of summer, rugby, through the prism of two sad affairs that it is no longer even necessary to recall, saw itself stuck with the label of a sport of violent alcoholics, with toxic masculinity and crystallizing all the attentions, even those that come out of nowhere. The French rugby player was then just good enough to throw in the trash. Four months later, at the twilight of an autumn tour crowned with three successes including a prestigious one against the Blacks, escorted by their legend and adorned with a sumptuous Hollywood production ahead of each meeting, here are the Blues mentioned again as an example for having – among others – sung the Marseillaise. Funny world.

To be honest, this autumnal opus still has an aftertaste of redemption. First, from an image point of view. The figures show: 7.27 million viewers in front TF1 to follow the victory over the Blacks, 6.68 million (34.8% audience share) for the success against the Pumas and a concert of praise, sometimes also coming from nowhere. Then, on a sporting level. The coach Fabien Galthié may claim (rightly) to be the best European nation of the year (read elsewhere), the fact remains that the slap received against Ireland in Marseille at the opening of the 6 Tournament Nations and the pitiful draw conceded to Italy, post-depression of the quarter-final of the World Cup, had led even the most optimistic straight towards a box of Lexomil. “The Tournament was difficult, the tour to Argentina you know what happened, so we decided that this sequence would be the “kick off” of the preparation for the 2027 World Cup, declared the boss of the Blues on the evening of the autumnal triplet.” A declaration in the form of a confession. As if to better admit that his second term began with a little delay in lighting.

Champions of friendly matches, waiting for better

This winning trilogy, completed the day after a snowy episode at the Stade de France, smacks of Indian autumn. It officially launches Galthié's 2nd mandate and allows us to look ahead to the 2027 World Cup with a host of guarantees, but also some questions still pending (read elsewhere). “I see things in continuityswears Galthié for his part. This quarter-final (from the 2023 World Cup) lost by one point (against South Africa) is part of our path, we must not separate act 1 and act 2. It is a continuity, the team is still at 80% victories despite a year 2024 that some say was more or less successful. But there are areas for progress.”

The next 6 Nations Tournament will open on January 31, 2025 at the Stade de France. Considering the recent results of all the nations involved in the competition, the temptation is great, almost immense, to give Dupont and his gang the status of favorite. Should we take the plunge? Nothing is less certain. Just as French rugby is not the sport of dirty guys portrayed by some a few months ago, the Blues of Galthié are still not world champions… except in friendly matches! “We have a tournament that is special, underlines Galthié, referring here to the calendar. We host Wales first and finish by hosting Scotland.” In the middle, there will be three trips, two of which are to Twickenham and the Aviva Stadium. A program that is in no way a sinecure. On the contrary. Since 2007, the French XV has no longer won in the most legendary of international tournaments in odd years. The opportunity is all the more beautiful. To look a little further towards Australia.