Fukuoka (Japan) (AFP)
Decisive on three tries thanks to his footwork, but in difficulty when he opted for the hand: the opener Camille Lopez was in the image of the XV of France, on alternating current against the United States (33-9 ) Wednesday in Fukuoka World Cup.
If we want to schematize chronologically, the opener, author of the winning drop against Argentina opening (23-21), just after coming into play, had two matches in one.
Twenty-five minutes when he shone, author of two perfectly executed kicks that allowed the Blues to take the lead (12-3), and last 15 minutes just as effective, where his left foot has again given birth one test (out of three). And where he has incidentally been able to prove, against the poles (3/3), that his 50% (3/6) against Scotland mid-August in Nice was perhaps well linked to a lack of preparation.
And the other 40 minutes? "Game of hand, game of villains", we could say about the Blues who stubbornly play hand balloon made slippery by moisture. And remained helpless against the weakest opponent of their group, returned to the score at the hour of play (12-9).
- Cut foot -
As a leader, the Clermontois, author of a failed dismissal (32nd), holds a large part of responsibility, locked in his camp after an opponent footwork that will ultimately offer the 2nd penalty to the Eagles (28th). But why did not he continue to use his left foot, which had offered a try each to Yoann Huget (6th), on a small over, and to Alivereti Raka (24th) on a marvel of pass in the right corner after a left feint?
Back Thomas Ramos, the other responsible in this area, admits: "we thought we had two tries in advance and we wanted to play more (by hand)". What Lopez confirms half-heartedly: "I do not know if it's the fact that we took the score ... We wanted, because we were in their camp, try to hold the ball and finding solutions by hand, surely there were opportunities to abuse the game ", recognizes the original Basque.
"I think it was not just bad choices, but we did not hold the ball: either we got it out of hand or we lost it in the rucks ... We were penalized in this sector, "thought the opener hot, aware of having to find" a little more alternation ", in other words" a happy medium between playing with the foot and hand ".
- Brunel: "A little bit of everything" -
Without pointing the finger, winger Yoann Huget also points out that the Blues have "struggled to have a good game at the foot of occupation". Elected man of the match after a new foot pass determining for Raka that will lead to the test offensive bonus of Baptiste Serin (70), Lopez (30 years, 26 caps) he scored points against his young competitor Romain Ntamack, incumbent against Argentina?
"There is a bit of everything," commented Jacques Brunel on the conduct of the French game. "Good footwork, good field trips, but I wish we could play more on the foot." The half was not completely at the end of what we wanted to do, "said the coach, whose the assistant and successor Fabien Galthié has tried since the beginning of the summer preparation to fill the French deficiencies in the air sector.
If Lopez was, by his own admission, "wrong" not to "abuse the game with his foot", he also seriously developed as soon as he applied the instructions. Brunel and Galthie to think about the game so much feared against the English who, they, know how to abuse in this area?
© 2019 AFP