The rocket successfully took off. The initial gusts of wind were dampened, and the first four stages were successfully jettisoned. All that remains is to negotiate the final separation before flying off to the stars. “We are in the position where we wanted to be.explains Fabien Galthié. We have one game left to play. » A game to win.
Saturday March 19 at the Stade de France (Saint-Denis), the XV of France which he trains has an appointment with England at the end of the Six Nations Tournament (9 p.m.), and aspires to put an end to twelve years of dearth. A victory, and the Blues will win the title and the tenth grand slam in their history.
For the third Tournament of the “Galthié era” – the Lot technician arrived at the helm of the team after the 2019 World Cup – the French are approaching the final meeting of the competition without having to get lost in arduous equations.
“That’s what we were aiming for when we found ourselves in Cassis [au premier jour du rassemblement]assures Karim Ghezzal, the co-trainer of the forwards. Play wins without having to calculate. » Last year, the French had lost their way when it came to concluding, ending the Tournament with a defeat on the wire against Scotland.
The Blues see the in-goal in the distance. But they remain at the mercy of an impediment to winning in the round. Because, in this “final” of the Tournament, the adversary is not just anyone. “There is a whole imagination around the crunch [surnom de l’affrontement France-Angleterre au rugby] »assumes Fabien Galthié.
Beaten twice in the competition (by Scotland and Ireland), the XV of the Rose is certainly less spicy than in the past, when his coach Eddie Jones had, during his takeover in 2015, “transformed his game and shook up the Europe of rugby”, as noted by the French coach. Fabien Galthié nevertheless places the finalist of the last World Cup among “the four giants of world rugby” – with the Blues.
Mostly, “if we reversed the situation, we would be the first to want to deprive them of a grand slam at Twickenham”, warns Grégory Alldritt. Bulldozer of the XV of France, the third line from La Rochelle knows that the XV of the Rose will not advance on the Dionysian lawn as an expiatory victim: “It’s almost worse for us, they’re going to come with no ambition for a final victory. »
“Every team has its flaws”
“The English are cutters of enthusiasm, shredders of joy. They can ruin your evening”, warns former international hooker Vincent Moscato. With as master builder, the roué Eddie Jones. “Winning the Tournament is such a big deal in European rugby that there is plenty to worry about [les Bleus]assured this week the Australian coach of the English. The only way to beat them will be to play with such intensity and ferocity that they will lie on their backs, panting. »
The English team are struggling, and have only scored two tries in the three games against the Scots, the Welsh and the Irish – the Italian trip (33-0) being accompanied by an asterisk, poor level of Squadra Azzurra obliges – but Eddie Jones believes her capable of ruining the party.
“If there’s one thing I know, it’s that no team in the world, or in the history of the sport, has any cracks in its armor.insisted the coach of the XV of the Rose this week. Every team has its flaws, and your ability to find and exploit them will determine the outcome of the game. »
After having resisted 14 against 15 during almost the entire match against Ireland (and finally lost 15-32), the English intend to complicate the life of the Blues as much as possible. “We have beaten France in our last two games, so we have a pretty good idea of what to do against them. insists the England coach. And we also saw that the Welsh played well against them. »
Determined to enjoy their last week together, the French approach their final “with lightness and desireexposes the opener Romain Ntamack. There is pressure, but a lot of fun too. We are aware that it is a chance to experience such meetings. »
“The event, we live with it, we can’t avoid it”, continues Gaël Fickou. Captain of the tricolor defense, the center of Racing 92 experienced the lean years, when the Blues put on defeats and increasingly disinterested the public. “Before, we grumbled because we didn’t feel supported. Now we are and we therefore hope to give pleasure to our supporters on Saturday. » The game is announced sold out since fall. The Stade de France is ready to take off with the Blues.