Failing to see the World Cup, they will smell the smell. Eight-year-old Bastien left Oloron-Sainte-Marie, in the heart of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, with his parents and grandmother to go by train to Paris. Having failed to win a sesame for one of the matches of the Blues at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the small Béarnaise tribe fell back on the final meeting preceding the competition organized in France (September 8 to October 28). Sunday August 27, they will be part of the 80,000 supporters who will encourage the XV of France against Australia, at the Stade de France (5:45 p.m.). A meeting which will have the color and taste of the World Cup, but which will precede its two-week kick-off.
If officially, World Rugby – the International Federation – will not take possession of the premises until two days after the meeting, and that kakemonos and displays in the Dionysian enclosure remain struck with the red rooster of the French Rugby Federation (FFR), no one can is wrong: this Sunday, it is a “general” that we must expect. Not the fight that can amass the players, but the final rehearsal preceding the big premiere.
“We can say that, validated the French captain, Antoine Dupont, on Saturday at a press conference. This is the last time you can make mistakes before the start of the competition. “Once the Australian pitfall has passed – they hope with manner – the Blues will return to the Stade de France on Friday September 8 (9 p.m.), for the opening match of “their” World Cup against the New Zealanders.
“Sunday’s game is unheard of, it’s a first because the stadium will be full, we expect a remarkable attendance, which gives some idea of ??the enthusiasm around our team and a preview. taste of what will happen on September 8, ”savored the general manager of the Blues, Raphaël Ibanez. On Saturday, the former Landes hooker also set the course for the public: “to warm up” against Australia, before “getting into the heart of the matter” against the All Blacks.
“A team needs to play”
The mechanic of this “general”, Fabien Galthié, did not wish to leave his machines in the garage, and chose to bet on his typical group, after three test meetings of a variegated XV of France. From scrum-half Antoine Dupont to hooker Julien Marchand, via third row Charles Ollivon, center Gaël Fickou or full-back Thomas Ramos, all the executives are back. The team lined up from the start on Sunday will strongly resemble the one that should start the World Cup.
The tricolor coach could have endorsed the words of his New Zealand counterpart and future opponent. “I’m not going to protect anyone. You don’t win a World Cup by putting the players in the cotton, “insisted Ian Foster, on the eve of the rout of his troops against the South African world champions (35-7) in Twickenham (United Kingdom). ). Like him, Fabien Galthié has chosen to have most of his strength to complete two months of intense preparation. And to ignore the risk of injury, despite the loss of the “tauliers” Romain Ntamack (forfeit) and Cyril Baille (absent during the first weeks), affected during the second meeting against Scotland. “A team needs to play, because training does not replace a match”, justified the Lot technician.
If in the four years since he took charge of the destiny of the XV of France, his team has forged certainties – fulfilling the objectives of “winning, quickly, matches and titles, and entering the top 3 again worldwide” – she intends to continue her rise to prominence. “This is the last cartridge before the start of the competition, recalled the third row François Cros during the week. So it would be good for confidence to have a good collective performance. »
Most of the places in the group of 33 players (out of the initial 42) selected to compete in the World Cup have been allocated, Fabien Galthié having insisted that “each player knows about his position” and that he did not imagine last minute improvisation. But all players will be keen to ramp up before the fall meeting. “Preparation is good but it’s still more fun to compete,” concluded Antoine Dupont. Before blinking in the Stade de France auditorium: “The spotlights are much too strong, you can’t see anything from the start. On certain points, there are still adjustments before the World Cup.
