Nice (AFP)
Already the leg Fabien Galthié: the defensive and offensive precepts advocated by the new deputy of the XV of France were visible in the wide victory of the XV of France against Scotland (32-3), Saturday in Nice for his first match of preparation at the World Cup.
The difference has jumped in the eyes since the warm-up, more intense and concluded by an opposition to eleven against twelve led by Galthie, future boss arrived a month and a half ago as an assistant to allow the Blues to look good in Japan (20 September-2 November).
The hymns were followed by a small muscular restart with opposition shields. Like the Irish in March in Dublin, who had warmed up while the French waited and cooled. Result: the Blues had been overwhelmed by the green waves from the start of the match (defeat 26-14 in the end).
Saturday, it was the French who walked into the match, marking the second minute by Alivereti Raka. Partly thanks to this more intense warm-up, according to the third line François Cros: "It's new, we have not yet automated it but it allowed us to start the game well."
- Aggressive defense -
The rest of the meeting confirmed this first impression: Galthié brought to the Blues its rigor and attention to detail.
In defense, where they have not cashed test for the first time since February 3, 2018 (13-15 against Ireland).
Sometimes by catching shots individually, but especially by a good and new collective organization, called "reverse defense", where the line rises quickly, especially on the outside, in order to deprive the enemy attack of time and solutions.
"We leave a few spaces, sometimes it's complicated but they (the attackers) have less choice to make, Irish, English and South Africans defend like that, we take inspiration from these teams and we try to do our best to attack the teams a little more, "says the center Gaël Fickou.
Camp sorties, another area in which the XV of France had considerably sinned in the Tournament, were well negotiated. And more structured to put the kicker in the best conditions.
"We've been clean, we've found beautiful touches (...) There are outlets, structures that make you put the nine or ten typing in good conditions," says the back Maxime Médard .
- "Everything is very clear" -
The Blues were also clean in attack, where they scored five tries for the first time since November 12, 2016 (52-8 against Samoa). Counter-attack balloons but also placed launches, where the ball carrier often had two solutions. And where the wingers, Raka and Damian Penaud, have often rezoned to intervene at the heart of the game for the final two tests.
"We have high quality wingers and we have to use them, we, the centers, we are more relays, we make a lot of passes," Fickou analysis.
Races with or without a ball, placements: Galthie brought more marks and rigor to the XV of France, very often lost at the last Tournament beyond two or three times of play.
"The races were good, the calls were good, Medard appreciates, and when we play offshore, it works." When we came back on the axis, it worked too. Especially on the first try, where Fofana transplanted to serve Raka.
"Everything is very clear (...) We have our principles of play, our system.The front know where they should be placed, do not have the right to go in some places, so we save," says Fickou.
These principles will pass next Saturday to the developer of Edinburgh, facing Scottish revenge and reinforced. And who will certainly have analyzed the new systems put in place by Galthie.
© 2019 AFP