Oita (Japan) (AFP)

His last match was just like his captaincy: Guilhem Guirado ended his international career on a frustrating setback in the World Cup quarterfinals Sunday against Wales (20-19) in Oita (South Japan). ).

He first found the way to make irony. "Maybe we were a little too close (to win) ..." Then the XV of France was scuttled again, this time through Sebastien Vahaamahina excluded permanently for a nudge to the 49th minute. The captain, replaced by Camille Chat from that moment, looked off the bench, "stunned," his teammates cracking outnumbered a few minutes from the end on Ross Moriarty's try.

As often, too often in the last four years, Guirado had to explain in a press conference how victory could have escaped the Blues. South Africa in 2017 and then in 2018, Wales in February, to name only the most staggering setbacks or even unprecedented performance against Japan (23-23, 2017) or Fiji (14- 21, 2018). "Cruel, yeah, that's the word ..."

International since 2008, progressively from N.3 to N.1 in the hierarchy of hookers, Guirado (33 years old, 74 caps) was chosen as captain by the former coach Guy Novès in the wake of the elimination in quarters World Cup 2015. Four years later, the Catalan goes to the same stage, but with a dirty label on the back: that of the French captain who has experienced the least victories in the professional era (38%) ...

- Black bread -

"I have not seen these ten years," he positived after the setback, without dwelling on his record. "I hope and I feel that we have eaten our black bread with these losses of little and painful, but I remain the first supporter of the XV of France."

In the absence of a positive sports record, the ex-Perpignanais (2006-2014) and ex-Toulonnais (2014-2019), who won a title with each club (Top 14 2009 with the Usap, European Cup 2015 with the RCT), hopes that he will leave a legacy on a human level.

"I've always been caring (...) I hope I've been a good guy with young players, I'm teasing sometimes, hard too because I have esteem for them," said Guirado, who sees in this short defeat a hope for the future. "The most important thing is what they (young internationals) are going to do tomorrow." The talent is there: it has been shown that he does not miss much for the high level.

- "A great captain" for Poirot -

Despite the blows, Guirado loved his group who returned it to him. Questioned by the management after the correction suffered in England (44-8), he had been supported by the players who had instituted a council of wise men to support him in internal communication.

Vice-Captain Jefferson Poirot, his potential successor, paid tribute to him. "I was proud to be able to support him, it allowed me to really know him better because I did not know him that well, despite three years together, I think I learned a lot."

And if Guirado held against all odds, it is thanks to a flawless courage, emphasizes the left pillar. "In terms of commitment, the four years he has done ... We can only respect the man He took shots for a whole collective (while) he was not alone in the field ", says the Bordelais for whom the responsibility is collective. "The man will remain respected and a great captain of the France team in this difficult period.He must shoot him a big hat.

© 2019 AFP