Let's get rid of the question right away. To say that the England team disunited, at the Stade de France, Sunday, February 2, for its first match of the Six Nations Tournament because the United Kingdom left the European Union (EU) two days earlier would be easy.
And unfair to the players in the "crunch" won by the XV of France after 80 minutes of intense combat (24-17) for the first outing of Fabien Galthié as coach. But for the record, " remainers " Scottish people will undoubtedly appreciate that the man of the match, Grégory Alldritt, who did so much to get the English out of the blue camp, is half from their home country.
Because for an hour, the French team beat up the recent vice-world champion. Twenty-four to zero, while the rain and the Marseillaise of the public fell on the lawn. "Give credit to France, they were excellent in the first period", hammered, groggy, Eddie Jones, Australian manager of England. Even clinics. More English than the English. Because it is on the other side of the English Channel that the inspiration for the French game comes, combining aggressiveness and efficiency.
After the meeting, the French players assured that the preliminary remarks of Jones announcing them "A test" a "Intensity and physical violence" that the young Blues had never faced had little impact on their motivation. "The managers send each other spikes, we stayed focused on what we wanted to do, evacuated Grégory Alldritt, the bruised cheekbone but his face crossed with a smile. And as it was putting in combat and intensity, it was great. "
French defense struck with the seal of Shaun Edwards
“We score three tries. In the rain, facing the English, it means something! " Fabien Galthié may have insisted on highlighting the "Offensive know-how" of its young shoots, if the France team shone on Sunday, it is above all by its defensive determination. "When we were five meters from our line and I looked to my right and my left, I saw everyone ready to do battle, welcomed Grégory Alldritt. And they didn’t advance a meter, they even backed off. We defended our line like crazy, and it may have hurt their heads. "
A defense struck by the seal of Shaun Edwards, new coach of the Blues in this area, and English most at the party Sunday. Taken over in Wales after making the defense of this formation one of the most impenetrable in the world, the former British rugby star is regretted by many of his compatriots, who deplore that the English federation did not had the good taste to bring him home.
