At the Stade de France,
We will forget, for a moment, the desire to play with the ball in hand, the strategies to send the wingers into a one-on-one situation, the search for big flights rather than big kicks. No, this victory against the All Blacks (30-29), Saturday evening, the Blues owe it to their iron will and their starving defense against a team which was, unlike the two successes of 2021 and 2023, quite superior.
The stats of the match perfectly reflect this third part torn from the aggression, the character and the strength of the tackle. The Blues made exactly 208 in this meeting (with 86% success), a figure well above the average for international matches, which is around 160. First in line to go to the putty, the third row Paul Boudehent was particularly immense.
“They set a lot of pace, both in the races and in the impacts. It was a big match, says one of the heroes of the evening, who came out for a suspected concussion in the 70th minute (and a little angry because he couldn't even see the end of the match on TV). Personally, I'm very happy with my feelings, but above all I'm really happy with the group. The challenge was enormous. »
Huge, because these Blacks had come to punish the XV of France, as they had done over the last 15 days against the English and then the Irish. In the first half in particular, Scott Robertson's players were constantly advancing, with many players moving around the goalkeeper, like waves crashing on increasingly porous blue curtains.
“We knew that even when led, we could come back”
Better in scrum, in conquest (three stolen touches), almost everywhere in fact, Beauden Barrett's teammates stifled their opponents until leading 14-3 at the half-hour mark, after a try on which Ardie Savea scored. played bowling ball with Dupont and three other pins, then another on a failed transition between Alldritt and the French captain. At that time, we didn't pay much for the skin of our little Blues.
“We got off to a bad start in the match. They were ready from the first minute,” observes Louis Bielle-Biarrey. The awakening took place little by little, rewarded first by a try from rookie Romain Buros (32nd), then a monstrous defensive sequence of more than two minutes before the siren to reach only seven points at the break ( 10-17). Almost miraculous.
“We manage not to take points, and that does us good, because we keep one foot in the match and that is very important at that moment,” notes Thibaud Flament. During half-time, we thought about how to rectify the situation, and above all we told ourselves that we had to believe in it, that they were going to blow up and that we had confidence in the resources we had to finish the match. We had prepared it like that, we knew that even when led, we could come back. »
It's a fact, the Blacks ended up wearing out, surely not helped by a surprising little sin of gluttony, especially compared to their two clinical successes on English and Irish soil. They sometimes held the ball too long to be honest, and, by insisting without always moving forward, opened the door wide to some technical approximations. The French did not expect so much to recover some welcome ammunition, including that which allowed Bielle-Biarrey to turn the match around (24-17, 52nd) – we will talk about it in a separate paper.
The strength of the Galthié 1 era
“Our strength is that we have character,” relishes Boudehent. I am convinced, as French people, we have an extra bit of soul and on the ground, we are capable of surpassing ourselves. Even if things hit and we are led, there is no question of us giving up. In the second half, we just repeated to ourselves what we had said to ourselves during the week: guys, we're not giving up. »
Even with only 39% possession, even when McKenzie immediately responded to Thomas Ramos to systematically bring the All Blacks to a small point (68th then 75th), no one panicked. And we found what made this team strong during the first four Galthié years, this aggressiveness, this serenity despite the headwinds, with however a little extra excess of function. The Blues finished the game with Dupont at the opening, Mauvaka on the third line and Guillard juggling between the second and third. Without losing any of their solidity resurrected in touch, in scrum or to scratch a few hot balls.
“They are special guys”
“It’s not trivial,” notes Gaël Fickou. Everyone is there, taking off their clothes. » And him first, including a final sequence of play where he still has the strength to put three monumental buffers to prevent the All Blacks from winning at the wire. “I always sent myself like a dog. At the moment I feel good, I am motivated, I try to put all that at the service of the team,” says the most capped of the current Blues.
“We talk a lot about the enthusiasm that supporters can have during the trials. For us, it's the feeling we have on the ground when we have to hold our line to achieve this victory, confides Antoine Dupont. We can count on each other. It's a super exhilarating feeling. » And touching for Fabien Galthié, if we trust the face shown by the coach at the whistle. The boss was moved, and he didn't hide it. “You can let go of your emotions at the end of the match, they were very strong and very pleasant,” he admits. We are very proud of the players. I have known them for five years now, they are special guys. They went for a prestigious victory. »
OUR FILE XV OF FRANCE
This one feels good, it's obvious, at the end of a year 2024 (there is still Argentina next week) during which the Blues gave the impression of looking for a new compass, after the disillusionment of the World Cup. It's funny, we'd be willing to bet, ultimately, that it's not just this match that we'll have to forget the big flights. The strength of this team is of another nature, more raw, illuminated just enough by a few flashes of extraordinary individuality. And that’s great too, right?
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