Of the twenty-three players present on the match sheet at the Stade de France, few can claim to have had no problems in recent weeks.

Romain Ntamack and Antoine Dupont (g), November 19, 2021 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, on the eve of the last test match of the Autumn Tour against New Zealand at Stad (R) and France's scrum half Antoine Dupont tale part in a captain's run at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, on November 19, 2021, on the eve of the autumn international rugby union test match between France and New Zealand.

FRANCK FIFE AFP/Archives

Thus, the Toulousans Dupont, Cros, Jelonch, Baille and Ntamack, tested positive for Covid-19 at the end of January, could not participate in the first week of training for the Blues, within the Foreign Legion in Carpiagne (Bouches-du -Rhone).

Others, including second line Cameron Woki or prop Uini Atonio, were injured before or during the rally.

And some, sometimes the same ones, have played little due to league matches postponed due to the pandemic.

UBB opener Matthieu Jalibert, used to compositions, was even considered "a bit fair" by the staff of the Blues.

The opening half of the XV of France Matthieu Jalibert pierces the Georgian defense, during the test match of the Autumn Tour, on November 14, 2021 at the Matmut Atlantique Stadium in Bordeaux Romain PERROCHEAU AFP / Archives

Captain and scrum half essential, Antoine Dupont, he suffered a knee injury before contracting the virus and has only played one game for more than eight weeks.

What therefore legitimately have concerns about the state of form of the Blues, which sweeps away the management, rather serene.

"Format Players"

Of "the freshness, they will have it because they have played little", thus estimated Fabien Galthié to AFP on Friday.

The coach of the XV of France Fabien Galthié announces the list of players selected to face Georgia, November 12, 2021 in Marcoussis, during their 1st test match of the Autumn Tour, FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

"The question is more about the level of form. Our training method so far has allowed us to train the players for Sunday's match in a short time", detailed the coach.

Thibault Giroud, performance director of the Blues, does not say anything else.

"It's not four, five, six days off, especially at this time of the season, that are going to cause a lot of problems. We have to make regulations and bring the players up to standard. But they are athletes high level so it reacts and it starts again", he tempered.

Between those who resume and those who, like the Toulouse people in particular, only arrived during the second week of preparation, the levels of form are necessarily disparate.

"As for the Toulouse residents, they were all in different states of form (on their arrival in Carpiagne, editor's note). It was not due to poor form but to the fact that they had the Covid: they were prevented specific training, had to stay at home and couldn't do much," added Giroud, not really worried.

The director of performance of the Blues, Thibault Giroud, at the Stade de France, on the eve of the match against Italy, February 8, 2020 FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

Dupont lacks "a bit of rhythm"

"Obviously, Antoine Dupont lacks a bit of rhythm", he still admitted, well aware that the form of the master of playing the Blues, whose 70 minutes of recovery a week ago, against Racing 92, were unconvincing, raises questions.

Antoine Dupont with the XV of France against the All Blacks during the Autumn of Nations tournament in Saint-Denis, November 20, 2021 FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

"But Antoine is good (...), we try not to overload him", he further underlined.

Same story for Gaël Fickou.

"These are very professional guys, they are always in great shape: there is no doubt about their ability to be at the same level as those who have been there for a week or even ten days already", assured the center of Racing 92.

The center Gaël Fickou, during a break during a bodybuilding session, on January 29, 2022 in Aubagen, during the preparation for the match of the XV of France against Italy Nicolas TUCAT AFP / Archives

Physically fit or not, the Blues remain under the threat of Covid-19, even if the Federation, after the announcement of Galthié's positivity on Friday, following three other cases that have occurred since the start of the rally, said on Saturday that the All the tests carried out on the players and the coaching staff came back negative on the eve of the match against Italy.

It is ultimately only on the pitch that we will know if this preparation has been, as the coach said, the "best so far".

© 2022 AFP