Fukuoka (Japan) (AFP)

"We were wrong." The XV of France should not have played the ball hand, slipping, after taking a slight advantage against the United States, have recognized the Blues who sealed their wide success (33-9) once returned to the plan of the initial game which privileged the game with the foot.

"Maybe we thought it would be easier ... we still like the ball." The semi-confession of the left pillar Jefferson Poirot says a lot about the slow evolution of the French mentality, which is still reluctant to use the weapon of foot-footing even though it has proven its effectiveness among rival nations.

For the Blues are quickly fallen back into their straits late in the first period, wanting to play the hand after registering two tests on inspirations at the foot of the opener Camille Lopez. Except that with a balloon made slippery by moisture, they have never succeeded, multiplying fallen balloons and inaccuracies.

"We thought we had two tries in advance and we wanted to play more (by hand)," also acknowledged the back Thomas Ramos. "We should perhaps have used more footwork to leave them at home instead of playing a little in the midfield and, because of these mistakes, leave them in play."

- No "disaster scenario" -

In short, the Blues were "wrong" to move away from the game plan instilled by Fabien Galthié, current assistant coach and future coach. It is Lopez, the other depository with Ramos of this game to the foot, who recognizes it: "We are wrong because we dropped all the balloons and we did not keep them, so we can not say that our choice was the right one, maybe we had to play games and play 80 games but we did not take that option. "

If the Blues have forgotten the instructions, they remembered at the right time in the last quarter of an hour when the Americans were only 3 points (12-9). "It's good to have managed to rectify," says Poirot. "When they come back to three points, if we do not fit in the plan, it can be a disaster scenario ... it was important to return to the scheme."

If the Blues have come out, it is also thanks to the "coaching": back at the beginning of the second period, the first line Poirot-Guirado-Slimani has brought his experience and the scrum-half replacing Baptiste Serin has delivered the Blues with the bonus test.

"It shows the state of mind in the group," says Ramos. "Everyone wants to play but in a competition, it's not possible, the substitutes want to bring their potential when they come back, today it's a good thing."

© 2019 AFP