Fabien Galthié will have to juggle his workforce -
Scott Heppell / AP / SIPA
The XV of France are preparing to face Wales in a friendly match
This is the first in a series of six international matches, during which Fabien Galthié will not be able to field a player more than three times.
A situation that players, staff and clubs try to manage as well as possible
Nothing new in the composition of Fabien Galthié for the reception of Wales at the Stade de France.
Ah, yes, Teddy Thomas and Vincent Rattez make their return to the wings, you speak of a surprise.
But let's not be choosy.
One, because the team is still quite good like that and two because we were still talking about sending a Pro D2 to the slaughterhouse against our Welsh friends just ten days ago.
At the time, the FFR and the LNR were twisting their hair around the modalities of the coming international window.
From three games + the “final” of the Tournament against Ireland, we went to six games with the eruption in the calendar of the Autumn Nations cup, potentially increasing the absence of players to two months.
Taking into account the habits of Fabien Galthié (a job at 42 selectable), all this was hardly acceptable for the Top 14 clubs, whose life continues in parallel.
“Frankly, asking for 42 players over two months, in such a difficult period, is to be completely out of frame, indignant Christophe Urios, coach of the UBB, last week.
It is not to understand the problem of the clubs.
We go through hell every day.
Every day we go through hell, we can't program anything, we can't do anything!
"
A productive dialogue between clubs and the national team
A compromise was therefore found between the two parties.
The international period and its six posters still hold, but each player will have a maximum of three match sheets and the XV of France will rotate with a group of 31 players, including five reservists and three others made available to their clubs in the middle of the week for play on weekends.
For example, Killian Geraci (Lyon), Gabin Villière (Toulon) and Selevasio Tolofua (Toulouse) were released by Galthié before the game against Wales.
To continue working at 42 during this first week, the coach also called on "training partners", in this case "internationals at 7, the best under-20s of the national team and of other players [called in] in agreement with the managers of their respective clubs.
"
The # France7 and #XVdeFrance players are training together today!
Intensity and preparation are on the program!
pic.twitter.com/JGlqEP310n
- France Rugby (@FranceRugby) October 21, 2020
If we stick to the last point and the passages in the clubs on behalf of members of the staff mentioned Wednesday by the coach of the French backs, Laurent Labit, the sporting relations between the teams of the Top 14 and the selection are otherwise less stormy.
The words of Toulouse coach Ugo Mola, Thursday at a press conference, also go in this direction.
“What was set in motion during the last meeting with the FFR was a consultation on the sporting level which went extremely well.
I have confidence in the men and there is no reason why we should not discuss this without penalizing the major element of the system, that is to say the player.
I had taken the phrase `` divorced kids '', I don't want them to be.
"
A fear also shared by Jefferson Poirot, a young international retiree.
“Where I'm a little disappointed is for the players.
The player who is selected, who is preparing in the middle of this fight, who cannot express himself too much, who will not be able to speak, who will perhaps leave for three games and come back, these are limiting factors to the performance.
"
For now, the group is living well.
The euphoria of the reunion takes precedence over the rest and Baptiste Serin thus prefers to retain the "level of rooming" remained intact within the locker room rather than the league-federation conflict which put the players "the bottom between two chairs", because the time was for making "political decisions which the players do not have to interfere in".
There are also those who, like Gregory Alldritt, did not care.
At least in appearance: “we already have the lead in these first two games [Wales and Ireland] and they are already tough enough like that.
"
The weather was mild in Marcoussis - WP / 20 Minutes
A group A, then a group B?
The three match sheets, therefore.
Who are they, where do they come from, what are their networks?
Wales, taken very seriously by the XV of France and Ireland, a capital match, will burn two entry jokers for Galthié executives.
Not a problem in itself, believes Laurent Labit, since the XV of France has a reservoir of 90 players followed since November regularly supplied including 55 during the period of the Tournament.
“So we have a big group.
We have players in positions that we absolutely want to confirm and play.
But there are also positions where we have less certainty.
"
It remains to be seen when the coach will decide to run.
Will he go for a third XV-type against Fiji and finish the plastic cup in freewheel?
Mola wonders: “How will this competition be played?
Only the staff will tell us.
So far he has told us that he wants to end the Tournament with the best possible preparation against Wales.
There was nothing better, if not England to prepare Ireland.
They are in good condition for that.
Then they will take stock with us.
It would be a shame if we had a group called France A then a group from France B to play a competition that could resemble the Latin Cup of the 1990s. Except that it is at a time when the season is not over. , where we have matches to play… ”And at some point, you have to defend your personal interests.
The limits of the good deal.
Sport
XV of France: Rattez and Thomas back on the wings, classic for Galthié against Wales
Fabien Galthie
Rugby
Sport
LNR
Wales
XV of France