RETRO. France – New Zealand: a look back at this Sunday in October 1999 when France “won” the World Cup against the All Blacks

Even at such a late hour, the paths of glory forbid discretion. This silhouette in the London night, even veiled in an overcoat which recalls an era of French rugby that has barely passed, calmly waits for its cab without being able to get rid of a handful of supporters delighted as never before in every sense of the word. Christophe Dominici, one of the heroes of the “miracle”, is no longer from our poor world, nor Jonah Lomu, the only Black that afternoon at Twickenham to have resisted the blue storm that no meteorologist had dared predict.

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It is even said, a quarter of a century later, that certain bookmakers flatly refused to take into account a French victory given more than twenty to one by their colleagues! “Domi” smiles and wonders, lucidly, in the fog thickened by the third half, if his team has not just “won” the World Cup a little too early, if it has not, as a result, jeopardized any chance of dominating Australia in the final the following Saturday…

Fabien Galthié dismissed, recalled and decisive

The most affected special correspondents did not hesitate to write that we had just witnessed the greatest rugby match of all time. Others even left the framework of rugby to immediately establish the meeting at the summit of the exploits of the national sport. It must be remembered that our valiant XV led by Skrela and Villepreux (and also by the players to finish) shone with a last place in the V Nations Tournament and had just taken a memorable beating in New Zealand (7-54). Having won the right to play the Blacks in the penultimate world round should have been enough for their happiness, but that Sunday, dead of fear, hunger, desire and… life, they said no. They sought for eternity this forbidden victory, this unsuspected collective performance.

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The Blacks caught from the start, kept afloat by two exploits from Lomu and the very motivated whistle of the Scotsman Jim Fleming (13 penalties to 1 before the break!), not by Andrew Mehrtens who was very clumsy that day, turned in the lead (17-10) before doubting then losing everything. We have kept the forecast roadmap provided by the New Zealand staff to the press, after two introductory lines to specify the program in the event of qualification, the path was traced until the return to the country (1). But there were, in ninety seconds, these two drops from Titou Lamaison wonderfully served by Fabien Galthié (dismissed by the coach whom he did not spare afterwards, he was only recalled before Fiji at the Stadium before playing a major role in the success of the French). The Briviste, after a breakthrough from Dominici launched by Galthié, had earlier scored the first try for France, well demarcated by Dourthe.

The false joy of Bernat-Salles, the eyes of Kronfeld

Then, the false joy of Bernat-Salles on a restart from Benazzi taking advantage of a… kick from Olivier Magne, the penalties of the opener (including one, to return to 24-19, sanctioning a fault from the monstrous Josh Kronfeld who could no longer see very clearly, who knows why…) and the other for offside (24-22). Three points difference, three small points to smash the doors of the impossible dream.

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The “headlock” was signed… Christophe Dominici after a gem at the foot of… Galthié (24-29). Confirmation after an adverse humiliation on a penetrating group and an inspiration from Titou improved this time by Richard Dourthe. Do you want more? We suspect it, so follow Magne who pushes forward (Deschamps and Desailly visiting their friends in their residence in Slough had perhaps converted the Auvergnat!) and alerts Bernat-Salles, not for nothing this time but for a fourth test, transformed of course by who you know author of a flawless and 28 points.

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The supposedly untouchable All Blacks have just conceded 33 points in half an hour, as many as during the entire World Cup! They fall, and from heights, and will have great difficulty recovering, without knowing that they will have to relive the same disillusionment one day (in 2007, this time in the quarterfinals, in Cardiff, wearing a strange gray jersey). . The feat will dispatch the Toulousain from Narbonne Frank Tournaire (there was also Garbajosa, Soulette, Pelous, Ntamack, without forgetting opposite Kelleher, future star of the Sept-Deniers, the Columérins Galthié and Dal Maso, the Castrais… Mola…) on the front page of Paris-Match. A first for a rugby player.