Q: Do you measure the presence of some 8,000 French spectators who made the trip to Scotland?

A: "We felt this enthusiasm when we landed in Edinburgh (Thursday evening, editor's note). In the airport, we met a lot of supporters who had just arrived. When we arrived at the hotel, when we left too. .. And there, we can still hear them making noise. Of course that carries us. We are not bad to have known the fervor here two years ago, in particular from the French public, so we are warned on that side The Scottish public makes a lot of noise, Murrayfield is a mythical stadium so we know where we are going. in 2020 and 2021, note)".

Q: How do you prepare against an opponent like Finn Russell, capable of both good and bad?

A: "We know what influence he can have, he is a very talented player who is capable of helping his team win. A lot of balls pass through the hands of Russell, who is their master at playing, with a lot of creativity. He is very comfortable technically, able to make rather improbable passes or kicks. Around him, he has players of great talent, whether Hogg, Graham or van der Merwe, who are able to make the difference. Of course, it often comes at the initiative of Russell but he still has big assets with him".

Q: A win against Scotland would be another step towards a Grand Slam, how do you deal with this pressure?

A: "We know the level of this competition and that of the teams that make it up. Scotland is a very complicated team to maneuver. We know that it is always very difficult to win here and it is a team that is in full progress in recent years, which has more and more ambition, like us, so it will be a good fight (...) We know all the stakes of this match. Of course a victory would be important but the The first thing that will come to mind is that it will be important to win this Tournament. The primary objective remains this Six Nations".

Captain Antoine Dupont scores a try for the XV of France against Ireland in Saint-Denis, February 12, 2022 BERTRAND GUAY AFP / Archives

Comments collected at a press conference.

© 2022 AFP