6 Nations Tournament: the XV of France achieves a Grand Slam, a first since 2010

Europe 1 with AFP 06:32, March 20, 2022

The day of glory has finally arrived for the XV of France which won the twenty-sixth Six Nations Tournament in its history on Saturday and its tenth Grand Slam, the first since 2010, after having outclassed England (25-13).

The Blues of coach Fabien Galthié and captain Antoine Dupont, second in 2020 and 2021, therefore finish undefeated after having beaten, in turn, Italy (37-10), Ireland (30-24), Scotland (36-17), Wales (13-9) and the English.

Twelve years without a title

For the Blues, it is the apotheosis after twelve years without a title.

It is also a step on the way that leads the XV of France to the Mondial-2023 at home.

Galthié likes to repeat that there are boxes to tick on "the arrow of time" towards the World Cup: after beating Wales in Cardiff, Scotland in Edinburgh and Ireland in Dublin, dominated the Australia "Down Under" for the first time since 1990 or triumphed over the All Blacks, the Blues of 2022 were only waiting for a title.

It is now done.

They will be able to take a new step with success in front of the Springboks, reigning world champions during the autumn tour.

Since the end of the 2019 World Cup, completed in the quarter-finals, the Blues have transformed and beaten all the big names in world rugby.

Apart from the South Africans then.

A great success for Galthié, already Chelemard as a player in 1997, 1998 and 2002. Like his predecessors Marc Lievremont (3rd in 2008 and 2009) or Bernard Laporte (2nd in 2000, 5th in 2001), he won the Tournament on his third attempt.

But the former scrum half has above all succeeded in his bets, carried by a golden generation and printed his mark on the French game, a clever combination of French flair and defensive rigor.

In addition to the Toulouse champions of Europe and France in title, with the captain and best player in the world Antoine Dupont in charge of the pack, the Blues of 2022 can rely on the former under twenty, world champions 2018 and 2019 , who are gradually settling with the A (Cameron Woki, Demba Bamba, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Romain Ntamack ...), surrounded by a few "grognards" such as the center Gaël Fickou (27 years old, 71 selections) or the second line Paul Willemse (29 years old, 23 caps).

The Blue Steamroller

Better, the XV of France has also been reinforced with "UFOs" dear to Galthié, from the back Melvyn Jaminet to the tireless winger Gabin Villière.

The staff can, moreover, count on ideal conditions to make these talented players shine: a rich and competent framework, expanded by the master of defense Shaun Edwards poached in Wales under the nose and beard of the English Federation , put himself at the service of the 42 players claimed by Galthié.

Thus, at each gathering, the Blues can train "with real ammunition" under the agreement signed between the LNR and the FFR.

The clubs, even deprived of their best elements, are now playing the game after years of tension between the two bodies.

As a result, the XV of France has undergone its transformation and has just had eight successes in a row, the best total in its history.

The victory against England was a summary of the blue steamroller in this Tournament: control, tries from Gaël Fickou (15th), François Cros (40th) or Antoine Dupont (61st) and a lot of discipline (9 penalties granted).

They also resisted their traditional leaps of concentration at the very start of the second period or their unusual clumsiness (12 turnovers, 4 forwards).

But, as often, they were heroic in defense and held without ever breaking.

538 days before the start of the 2023 World Cup, the Blues also climb to second place in the world.