Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, England, Argentina: no one can resist these Blues steeped in character, who fell in the space of just one year from the nine other members of the World Top 10.

It's not enough (yet) to dislodge the Irish from first place in the world rankings, but their record series of twelve consecutive victories, which began in November 2021, makes them indisputably one of the great favorites of the World Cup. they will play next year at home (September 8-October 28).

Acquired after a hard fight thanks to a new late try, from the substitute pillar Sipili Falatea, their prestigious success, in a sold-out Vélodrome stadium, is a substantial marker in their progress towards this supreme deadline.

As could have been the founding victory against England (24-17) for the first match of the Galthié era in February 2020 or that against the All Blacks (40-25) a year ago, at the end of a particularly successful offensive performance.

Concussions

After having stammered his rugby during his first autumn test last week against Australia which he had ended up beating on the wire (30-29) thanks to a personal exploit from Damian Penaud, the XV of France was impatient to see where he stood against a global benchmark.

He saw.

The Springboks, however, had failed him lately.

It was even necessary to go back to 2009 to find the trace of the last victory of the Blues.

It was in Toulouse, where Dupont, then aged about twelve, had gone with his club from the neighboring Hautes-Pyrénées.

The scrum half had kept the memory of that day of the "impacts" and a "physical commitment" which still invariably characterizes the South African game.

Sometimes too much, and the French have had the bitter experience of this, with three players forced to be permanently replaced in the first half hour.

Starting with Jonathan Danty.

Became a dad in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, arrived in Marseille only on the eve of the match after having attended the birth of his companion in La Rochelle, the crazy week of the three-quarter center ended after less than 12 minutes of Game.

The pillar Cyril Baille scored the first try of the victory of the XV of France against South Africa (30-26) on November 12, 2022 in Marseille Sylvain THOMAS AFP / Archives

While scratching a ball, he suffered a fracture of the orbital floor on a header from the third line Pieter-Steph du Toit, logically excluded.

mental resources

In numerical superiority, the XV of France seemed to have the match well in hand after the test in force of the left pillar Cyril Baille at the end of a long sequence (13-0, 21st).

But he lost three other players in quick succession: two to concussion, right prop Uini Atonio - finally returned after successfully passing the protocol - and second line Thibaud Flament, and one to injury, Baille, visibly a relapse of his left adductor operated during the summer.

The Blues lost the thread of the match and let the Springboks come back, first on a try from their captain Siya Kolisi, well out of a maul, then being in turn reduced to fourteen.

Because for having jostled in the air his former Toulouse teammate Cheslin Kolbe, who fell on his head, Dupont received the first red of his career and the world champions were able to take advantage of it.

Antoine Dupont (N.9) topples South African winger Cheslin Kolbe (N.14) without contesting the ball: the captain and scrum half of the XV of France is expelled on November 12, 2022 in Marseille Sylvain THOMAS AFP / Archives

Beaten in Ireland (19-16) last week, they scored a second try, by winger Kurt-Lee Arendse, and converted all their attempts on foot, despite three different scorers.

But once again, France, without necessarily shining in the game, found the mental resources to refuse defeat and win thanks to a strong try from Falatea in the 74th minute.

She will be able to finish the year undefeated if they win against Japan next week in Toulouse.

Without local icon Antoine Dupont.

© 2022 AFP