Saint-Denis (AFP)

Confirm its progress and take a step forward: the XV of France has the opportunity in a decisive match against Ireland on Saturday (9:05 p.m.) at the Stade de France with still a small chance of winning the Six Nations Tournament.

The Blues have not lifted the trophy since the Grand Slam achieved in 2010. So, obviously, it is "the supreme objective", agrees Vincent Rattez.

But the Montpellier winger also knows that France is "no longer totally in control of its destiny".

A success, even improved, against the XV du Trèfle, leader in the standings with 14 points and a step ahead of his pursuers, may not be enough.

Because England, second on equal points (13) with France, is on the lookout and will have a game much easier to negotiate on paper in Rome against the modest Italian selection, red lantern and corrected by the Irish (50-17) last Saturday in Dublin.

The most important thing, above all, for the French is to finish well to show that this selection has grown.

"Consistency" and "consistency" are the watchwords of coach Fabien Galthié, who dreams of guiding his young team - 25 years old and 16 selections on average - on the roof of the world in 2023.

If they have achieved some brilliance, especially against the vice-champions of the English world (24-17) and Cardiff (27-23) against the Welsh, the partners of Charles Ollivon have not always shown the constancy of a gardener.

Galthié recalled it on Thursday: "So far, we have performed against England and then been average against Italy (35-22), performed in Wales (then) beaten in Scotland (28- 17), performed for our reunion against Wales (38-21) ... Question mark on Saturday. "

The five tests registered against the XV du Leek last Saturday, for their first international match since March, encourage optimism.

Especially if the French selection manages to resolve its indiscipline.

"It was a good game with a significant margin of progress if it manages to erase these details," said former coach Pierre Berbizier (1991-1995), interviewed by AFP.

The sixteen penalties conceded to the Welsh, in particular in the ground game and aerial balls, may be crippling against the XV of Clover and his very experienced hinge Conor Murray - Jonathan Sexton who total 174 selections between them under the green tunic .

- Fickou in convenience store -

"It's easier to slow down a team that wants to devour its opponent, who wants to step on him, than a team that plays with a form of restraint," however, said Galthié, forced to make slight changes to its workforce.

The hamstring injury of Racing 92 winger Teddy Thomas, author of the last try against the Welsh, offered a promotion to neophyte Arthur Retière.

But the Rochelais will be on the bench.

The coach preferred to bring out a recipe that had worked in February in Cardiff by shifting Gaël Fickou, the most capped of the Blues (56 sel.), On the wing and by establishing in the center the Montpellier Arthur Vincent.

"I rarely play a winger" but "if I have to help out I do it," French defense captain Fickou said in an interview with AFP last week.

In the cozy atmosphere of the Stade de France, once again deprived of spectators due to a health crisis, it will also be a question of winning, according to the manager of the Blues Raphaël Ibanez, to "bring a little light, a few smiles. . "to French supporters once again confined.

With the second wave of Covid-19 and the new Islamist attack in Nice, which killed three people on Thursday, "to fulfill this mission (...) takes on even more dimension and meaning", abounds the coach Fabien Galthié.

Now all that remains is to succeed.

© 2020 AFP