Fujiyoshida (Japan) (AFP)

Guilhem Guirado, whose status is fragile at the approach of the World Cup in Japan, said Friday that he was preparing "as (if he was going to be the captain and the hooker who would start" the first match of XV of France in the competition, on September 21 against Argentina.

QUESTION: Will you be on the field as captain on September 21st?

ANSWER: "I do not know, this is the question that should be asked (to the staff) I did not play all the preparation matches, I was a substitute at the last (and spared at the first). anyway I'm getting ready as if I'm going to be the captain and the hooker that's going to start, but we're going to need the entire squad, it's important that everyone is concerned. "

Q: Would you have liked the coach to clarify things?

A: "No. There is a lot of interaction between Jacques (Brunel) and the leading players, important in the group, everything is going very well, do not worry about that, we know very well that it will be complicated. to play the four matches, because there are two close games in four days (USA and Tonga, October 2 and 6, Ed) So it's normal to see other people as captain and others who can take over, it will be important to be united, grouped, at 31. "

Q: You are going to play your third World Cup. Does the experience of the first two serve you?

A: "Obviously, it's undeniable, even in my speech, I feel much more legitimate in explaining things to young people who are going to discover the World Cup, and I have not always been indisputable (until in 2014, he was a substitute.) So I think the sound is much louder when I talk about that. "

- "I did not say that I stopped" -

Q: Do you say that you live your last matches with the Blues?

A: "No, I try not to think about it too much because I do not want to overplay, but I realize it, I know that my career is behind me. These are important moments of men. "

Q: Some players never say they put an end to their international career ...

A: "I did not say that I really stopped, I can not look beyond the World Cup, I know these are my last matches, but it's always hard to give a date. it means that we start to prepare the after, it's not good either. (The announcement) may be after the World Cup, but I do not want to announce it before because the best way to get ready to play these (World Cup) games is to live the moment and not look to the future, I've always done it, struggled to make a career plan Because I want to stay strong on the present. "

Q: But did you say to your teammates after the game against Italy on August 30th that this was your last match in France?

A: "Perhaps emotional, compared to a generation that stops (Picamoles and Fofana will end their international career after the World Cup) ... Surely ... I'm not too much young, but I can not tell you what I find admirable and that makes me want to continue playing is the exemplarity of some players who come to last like Sergio Parisse, who turned 36 yesterday (Thursday - I wished him - or Rory Best (Ireland, 37 years old) But with the French system it's difficult to play on all three tables (international, championship and European Cup). other goals, for sure I'm not yet four years old. "

- "Proud of my career" -

Q: When your captain status was challenged in the Six Nations Tournament, did you feel like giving up?

A: "I was quick to get to the game that was coming in. There were open discussions on the subject of the captaincy, the goal was to prepare the game against Scotland, especially since we had just had a rust ( England, 44-8) Despite all the defeats, I never wanted to give up, I really like this jersey, what it represents, I want to give back to rugby what it has brought me so much as a man, I have never let go and will never let go, it's not in my nature. "

Q: You would have imagined playing three World Cups?

A: "No, not at all, I'm proud of my career, there have been ups and downs, so much the better, some slaps allowed me to learn my job."

Q: Is this what allows you to relativize the fact that your captain's status is weakened?

A: "Yes, I'm taking a step back from this questioning, it's also a way to get back on track and get going again, we all want to start the matches."

Interview at a press point

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