Two weeks after the epic match against Ireland and a crushing defeat (19-32) which marked the end of a beautiful series of invincibility, the Blues challenge this Sunday at 4 p.m. another big piece in this tournament of Six Nations with Scotland. After winning in England (29-23) and having largely dominated Wales (35-7), the XV du Chardon arrives at the Stade de France with full confidence.
For Fabien Galthié’s team, it will above all be an opportunity to move forward, after this setback and a delicate first match in Italy (24-29), marked by very sanctioned indiscipline. In essence, the staff still have in mind the idea of ??preparing as well as possible for this year’s big event: the World Cup organized in France.
With many tired players and less prominent key individuals like Grégory Alldritt, Romain Ntamack and even the star of the Blues, Antoine Dupont, the XV of France is picking up the slack at the start of the Tournament. Not enough to sound the alarm according to Jean-Pierre Élissalde. For Le Point, the one who was a French international and coach of Aviron bayonnais draws a first assessment of the two matches of the Blues. “We’re in a bit of a slump for this team and that makes sense. They have had a wave of success and when you eat too much at noon, you have less appetite in the evening. Sometimes you have to digest success, it is difficult to start again and the staff must find ways to restart the machine. »
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With a busy infirmary and some important names like Cameron Woki and Gabin Villière on the sidelines, Fabien Galthié also had to adapt. For those who are able, some have nevertheless distinguished themselves and have seized their chance such as Thibaud Flament, the second line of the Toulouse Stadium and Ethan Dumortier, the best try scorer in the Top 14 with the LOU (Lyon Olympique Universitaire) . “With the latter, French rugby has once again unearthed a monster,” says Jean-Pierre Élissalde. He has this ability to resist tackles and impacts, in a different style to Damian Penaud, which is more fluid, but with his velocity he is impressive. »
For his part, coach Fabien Galthié believed that this setback on the Dublin side could be beneficial for his team. “You have to find out how it will give us the keys to being better: it’s the physical, the technique and the strategy. We have fallen, we must get up. It’s interesting how men function in defeat. “The staff of the Blues also performs very little turnover to keep their players on the alert: apart from Uini Atonio, suspended and replaced by Mohamed Haouas, it will be the same team against Scotland as the one who is tilted in Ireland.
The huge expectations, the increased pressure, the status of favourites: it hadn’t happened to the Blues for many years. Not easy, according to Jean-Pierre Élissalde, to deal with this new label. “Favorite status is very good for the mind but it can also be a trap. But it’s no coincidence for the Blues, it’s the consequence of their very good results. It’s obviously rewarding for them because this team is ultra-competitive, but now everyone is waiting for them and, at the slightest underperformance, they are downgraded. This defeat in Ireland is perhaps a blessing in disguise in the experience of this team and its learning. »
