Paris (AFP)

Ten months, seven matches, six wins.

The XV of France way Fabien Galthié closed a first chapter on Sunday with a historic victory in Scotland (22-15), which confirms the blue improvement before starting a work cycle with new players.

It's a funny crossover that takes place Monday in Marcoussis: the conflict between the League and the Federation over the release of internationals has resulted in a compromise limiting the players to three match sheets.

Exit therefore, the superstar Antoine Dupont, the captain Charles Ollivon, the precious Gregory Alldritt, the pruner Bernard Le Roux or the dynamiter Virimi Vakatawa and welcome to Sacha Zegueur, third line of Oyonnax (Pro D2), Jean-Pascal Barraque, captain of the French rugby sevens team, or Yoram Moefana, young nugget of the UBB in the five matches in the Top 14.

Eighteen players (plus Cros and Bouthier injured) have "swallowed" their three match sheets, so there will inevitably be new faces on Saturday for the match against Italy, then the following week in the probable final of the Autumn Nations Cup, presumably against England.

"It is expected that when we return to the CNR (in Marcoussis), we will welcome the newly selected to ensure that these rather strange moments can be transformed into real opportunities for us, for the France group. We must strengthen this idea of 'belonging to the France group ", explained the manager of the Blues Raphaël Ibanez.

"We will have a time for discussion with all the players together. At first, some players who have played leave and return to their homes, we must also welcome the new players selected under the best possible conditions," he added. .

- Beautiful promises -

Before saying goodbye to the premium group, which he should find for the 2021 Six Nations Tournament, Ollivon, he welcomed a "magnificent year 2020", happy to "end on a positive note like that" .

Because the Blues, hardworking and united, won at Murrayfield (22-15) for the first time since 2014. And it's not nothing after a World-2019 ended in the quarter-finals.

“We don't want it to stop. We want it to last longer,” also said Ollivon.

The Toulonnais has no choice: Saturday, against Italy, the XV of France will have a new captain.

But above all, this new look France team will have to confirm the good impressions left by Fabien Galthié's first ten months on the bench for the Blues.

So what lessons can be learned?

Already, an almost closed group has emerged, modified only because of injuries (Thomas, Cros, Ntamack, Bouthier ...) with an unchanging starting XV where the center Gaël Fickou comes to help out on the wing and where the hinge Antoine Dupont-Romain Ntamack seems to have settled in for a few years.

The tricolor staff also succeeded in their bets with neophytes such as Mohamed Haouas or Anthony Bouthier, while reviving the French game with twenty-three tests registered in 2020. Better, in Edinburgh on Sunday, the Blues did not concede a test at away for the first time since a 27-0 success against Argentina, in June 2016. Boldness, smiles but also a lot of confidence and solidarity.

"It will be another story with another team. We start from zero from Monday," said Galthié, who knows that he still has work to do to reach this world top 3 that he has set up as an ultimate goal .

Now 4th nation in the World Rugby rankings, the Blues of Galthié will therefore have to work on their lack of discipline, THE French weak point (nearly 40 penalties conceded over the three matches in the fall).

And complete the puzzle on the wing, where Teddy Thomas alternates the good and the less good, Vincent Rattez does not convince, Damien Penaud is often injured ... Elements of response against Italy.

© 2020 AFP