"It hasn't happened in a while, so we can savor it. " That’s two straight victories in the Six Nations Tournament, and the XV de France tops the tournament. Sunday, February 9, Grégory Alldritt is smiling after the meeting. His French rugby team won at home against Italy (35-22) and the offensive bonus point won places the Blues tied with Ireland (9 points), two weeks from a highly anticipated trip to the Millennium stadium in Cardiff.
As after their victory, a week ago, against England, the players of Fabien Galthié savor, therefore. But are far from boasting. Where the Welsh beat the Transalpine (42-0), the Blues struggled to remain constant. And spectators at the Stade de France feared seeing the tide turn during a troubled second period for their favorites.
In Gaelic, "ARTC" means "Dark". And as for the English in Scotland, Saturday, storm Ciara failed to darken the second game of the Blues. "We were a little scared before the match, conceded the pillar Cyril Baille, but ultimately the weather was not so bad on the ground. " It will therefore blame someone other than the wind for the " air pocket " XV of France in the second period. Romain Taofifenua, of which this is the expression, cannot be explained. "We had this same flaw last week, so it’s something that has to be erased quickly if we want to hope for something in Cardiff. "
Swirling start to the match
Because after a whirlwind start to the match, sanctioned by two tries registered at high points – by Teddy Thomas then Charles Ollivon, for the third try of the French captain's tournament -, the Blues saw Italy return to their Basque. Having left points on the way, the boot of Romain Ntamack not reproducing the perfect score of the victory against the English last week, the men of Galthié counted only three points ahead after the Squadra azzurra materialized its rare attacks in the French camp.
But the dominating Blues went back on the attack, and worsened the mark again shortly before the break (by Alldritt, winger of circumstance). "We make two management mistakes in footwork and occupation play. We pay them every time ”, commented Fabien Galthié after the meeting. "And if the first period is almost perfect, the second is less consistent, the team was jostled by the Italians. "
Upon returning from the locker room, the Blues toiled. Awkward in conquest – three hits missed in a row – unable to materialize their attacks, they held the Italians, who showed the same failings. And in this funny match, France got their offensive bonus following a nice breakthrough by Romain Ntamack. But far from abdicating, the Transalpine disrupted the French mechanics, still running in. "We train hard. We changed gear on that and it's paying off, ensures the pillar Cyril Baille. Afterwards, we sometimes lack lucidity, but we can work on it. "
Dangerous empty passages
As this test cashed in combat, after having held the Italian forwards on the line, which will have raged Shaun Edwards, the new French defense coach. If against the English, the Blues had erected barbed wire to quench the waves of the XV de la Rose, they were more porous against the Transalpines, a team of lesser caliber. "We have to improve", insists Alldritt, who sees this drop in speed as a consequence of the heavy physical work carried out since the start of the blue rally. "Keep the intensity for a little longer, it shouldn't put us in default. "
At the end of the meeting, the entrances of Baptiste Serin and Matthieu Jalibert brought a breath of fresh air to the French game, materialized by a solitary trial of the half scrum Toulon after a penalty played in speed. Sufficient to trigger Marseillaises from the spans of the Stade de France. Sufficient above all to have a tense end to the match, after the third Italian try, entered by Bellini in the siren after a bout of honor.
If the wind stirred Saint-Denis on Sunday, it was mainly the spectators who suffered from its gusts. After this second victory in as many games, the Blues have their turn "Need to breathe"hisses Grégory Alldritt, once again elected man of the match. And for three days, will leave the group to relax, see their families or simply "Make fat matt", smiles Cyril Baille. "It’s going to be good because it was pretty intensive for three weeks. " Before returning to business to prepare for the meeting against the Welsh.
“Win games quickly. " For the moment, the roadmap drawn by Fabien Galthié is respected. And too bad if it remains a draft. "The stages of February 2 and 9 were successful, savor the technician. There are two wins, so we're 100% satisfied with the performance and the results. " With two victories, including one with the offensive bonus, in as many games, the Blues took the head of the Tournament. This 2020 vintage from the XV of France knows how to win matches. Will they be able to travel? The next game, Saturday February 22 in the Welsh lair of the defending champions, should provide the answer.
