Marcoussis (France) (AFP)

Ultimate possible adjustments: the XV of France receives Italy Friday (9:10 pm) at the Stade de France for his last match of preparation for the World Cup, which must allow him to regain some momentum and to allocate the last places for Japan.

There is a sort of wink of fate to gauge one last time against the Azzurri, who came close to a victory in the last Six Nations Tournament, mid March in Rome (25-14).

The Blues had approached the catastrophe at the end of a disturbing competition, which led the Federation, to try to save the furniture at the World (September 20-November 2), to strengthen the management by the arrivals of Fabien Galthie and the preparer physical Thibault Giroud.

The first release of these new-look Blues, in Nice against Scotland (32-3), was convincing. But the soufflé fell immediately last Saturday in Edinburgh (17-14 defeat) against a XV of the thistle, which highlighted the recurring French deficiencies (wait-and-see around regroupings, losses of balls, inaccuracies) as soon as the intensity and the level rise.

The majority of players, however, prefer to show a positive attitude, as Gaël Fickou: "We are aware that we have not been good in Edinburgh, but we want to remain positive between us. because it's not competition yet, if we start to put our head in the abyss, we do not move forward. "

This is not yet the competition, but almost: it will begin in three weeks (September 21) against Argentina, which will propose, at least, a similar opposition to that of Scotland last Saturday. And several notches higher than that of Italy, catchy but limited.

"It's sure that when we see Argentineans playing, it's a tone above the teams we're playing against, and what we're up to now. Arthur Iturria, one of the few players not to show a positivism to any horse.

- "We are nobody" -

The real test of the three rounds of heating has passed (in Scotland), and lost. But failing to be frankly reassured, the Blues must at least avoid attacking the World Cup with confidence and certainty at half mast.

"We should not take high Italy because we are nobody, it would be stupid to fall into this trap before leaving for Japan," Iturria cowardly.

Defeat is therefore forbidden, and the recommended way, in a Stade de France which should display its worst affluence for a match of the XV of France (some 30,000 spectators expected). "Do not expect it to be easy but at a tough showdown, I hope we will be much better in physical engagement, that our defensive sector will still perform well and that we will be able to erase our slags. in the offensive animation ", Jacques Brunel list.

"You have to go over something much more controlled, structured and serious before you get into the World Cup, you can not afford to be in the near-ahead" Jefferson Poirot, captain instead of Guilhem Guirado, on the bench.

- Four tickets in play -

This last preparation match will also serve to the coach and his management to decide the last thorny cases before the announcement on Monday night of the group of 31 selected for the World Cup.

Six players will remain at the dock. If Vincent Rattez and Anthony Belleau will do, except last-minute injury, part of the disappointed after having had no minute of play to put in their mouths, several players will try Friday to tip the balance in their favor.

Cyril Baille at the post of left pillar, Romain Taofifenua in second line, but especially the whole of the third line: Wenceslas Lauret, Yacouba Camara and the Louis Picamoles executive, finally holders, are facing the fierce competition of "alternates" Charles Ollivon and François Cros (alternate).

Romain Ntamack, at the opening, Sofiane Guitoune in the middle, and Camille Chat, who will start at the bottom in Guirado square, have their tickets for Tokyo. But they will want to prove that they can start again, in three weeks against the Argentines.

© 2019 AFP