Fujiyoshida (Japan) (AFP)

Eight days before entering the World Cup against Argentina in Tokyo, the XV of France was measured Friday morning in Fujiyoshida, the Japanese team Yamaha Jubilo, an opposition that did not participate Jefferson Poirot and Wesley Fofana, always spared.

Three weeks without a match, between the one against Italy (47-19 on August 30) and the one against the Pumas, September 21, it's long. Also the coaching of the Blues has decided to schedule a training session looking like a match against a Japanese first division team, divided into four quarters of twenty minutes and where the penalties were not attempted not to break the rhythm.

The French easily won, "twelve tries to three" according to Captain Guilhem Guirado. The staff mixed the compositions, giving playing time to all players, except the left pillar Jefferson Poirot, still handicapped by a lumbago, and center Wesley Fofana (thigh), already spared Wednesday during the previous training.

However, the three players who could not play the preparation, Bernard Le Roux (suspension), Demba Bamba (cervical) and Maxime Machenaud (thigh), participated.

"It's a relief to have replayed rugby, I had to get down to it quickly, I played thirty minutes, now that's it, we can say that we went into the preparation from Argentina, "said Machenaud.

- Iturria 2nd line -

If this opposition was not "international" because "we have already done training intensity" according to Arthur Iturria, it allowed the Blues to reconnect with the rhythm of a meeting and review their ranges.

"It has served us to rehearse together and not against each other, and even if it will not be the same with Argentina, it was good to get back into the rhythm. game plan. We did the best, even if there is always small waste, "Iturria developed, who played twenty minutes at the post of second line. A clue to the fact that the management considers it more to this post, against the Pumas, than a notch lower.

The Blues have also been able to work in closed scrums, facing a "tough" opponent in this sector, according to Guirado. "We were also able to reassure ourselves on the defense, even if we took some tests a little stupid," he continued.

In attack "we saw beautiful things in the game in the mess", but launches have still suffered some inaccuracies. "We are not fully developed, but we can not wait to be on Saturday against the Argentines," said the captain.

© 2019 AFP