Raphael Ibanez celebrating, with his arms stretched out to the sky, a large victory for the Blues over Scotland at the Stade de France.
This scene has already occurred in 2007, when he was captain of the Blues and the France team managed to beat the Scots with a difference of 27 points (46-19).
He then needed at least 24. And this final gap had allowed the XV of France to win the Six Nations Tournament with the difference in points ahead of Ireland.
Fourteen years later, Raphael Ibanez will be in the stands at the Stade de France on Friday evening to follow the match between France and Scotland, a meeting initially scheduled for February 28 and postponed because of a cluster within the France group.
Ibanez, now manager of the Blues, notably participated in the management of this delicate Covid-19 file.
He played an important role again this week by passing on his experience with the Blues.
He was able to give them valuable advice as they approach a match that is not enough to win.
To succeed in winning first place in the final standings of the Six Nations Tournament ahead of Wales, the French must meet three conditions: win against Scotland;
with an offensive bonus point (awarded for 4 registered tries) and with a difference of more than 20 points.
💪🇫🇷 With the beautiful victory on Saturday against Wales, our #XVdeFrance regains its 3rd place in the world rankings @WorldRugby_FR!
#NotLet'sXV
- France Rugby (@FranceRugby) March 22, 2021
The gap in the score will be in the heads until the final whistle.
"With this additional data, it is inevitably much more difficult to manage", explains to France 24 the former third international line Serge Betsen.
The former "secateurs" of the XV of France was also on the lawn of the Stade de France on March 17, 2007. And if he remembers having often watched the score on the electronic board, he does not really know who was in charge of do the accounts within the team.
"There are inevitably players more lucid than others. We had the messages of the coaches who kept us informed. The important thing is especially not to take the lead and not to want to do too much" , explains Serge Betsen.
The Blues will therefore have to make sure on Friday not to rush too much against the Scots.
"The more control they have over what they want to do, the more serenity there will be on the field," analyzes the former international, insisting on respecting the framework put in place this week by the coaches.
"A generation of uninhibited players"
Five changes were made by coach Fabien Galthié for the match against the XV of Thistle, after the victory full of panache against Wales (32-30), last Saturday: Romain Ntamack takes the place at the opening of Matthieu Jalibert, injured against the Welsh, Arthur Vincent that of Teddy Thomas, Anthony Jelonch replaces Dylan Cretin in the third row and the new second row will be composed of Bernard Leroux and Swan Rebbadj, for the first time holder with the Blues.
🇫🇷🏴 23 players 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐞!
Here is the composition of #XVdeFrance for the last match of @SixNationsRugby at @StadeFrance!
👉 Les Bleus will meet you at 9 p.m. Friday evening on @ France2tv 🔵⚪🔴 # NeFaisonsXV pic.twitter.com/VRF4yOZFD2
- France Rugby (@FranceRugby) March 24, 2021
Fabien Galthié took advantage of the announcement of the composition to remind that Friday's opponent did not come to the Stade de France.
"Scotland can no longer play for the title, but they can still finish second in this competition, which would be their best ranking since their last title in 1999," he said on Wednesday.
To try to bend them, the French players will count on a significant capital confidence gained during their match against the Welsh, a meeting they won at the last minute on a try marked by the back Brice Dulin, designated man of the match.
They showed incredible self-sacrifice during the last 10 minutes, when they were down by 10 points.
Scored when it mattered most.
The #GuinnessSixNations Player of the Match, @BriceDulin!
🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/PN1BFt5krs
- Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) March 20, 2021
This success testifies to the strength of this character of this group, determined not to let go until the end.
In a speech filmed by the French Rugby Federation before the match against the Welsh, captain Charles Ollivon had also announced the color to his teammates: "They are not going to give us the Reds. But we are ready for that ", launches in this video the" prince "Charles to his subjects gathered in the locker room.
"This is a generation of uninhibited players, who are not afraid and know their strengths. They know exactly what they want", assures Serge Betsen, who had the opportunity to spend time with them during the Autumn Cup in London.
Installed in England for ten years, Serge Betsen relies on this group to protect it from sarcasm and criticism against the XV of France that he has heard a lot in the recent past across the Channel.
"I can already see the difference. I think the world of Anglo-Saxon rugby has realized that these French players have a lot of talent," he analyzes.
And the final victory in the 2021 Tournament would allow them to begin to forge a glorious track record.
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