“A historic result”: Serge Blanco happy for the XV of France after the big victory in England

Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin, with AFP 9:24 p.m., March 13, 2023, modified at 9:27 p.m., March 13, 2023

The XV of France obtained this weekend at Twickenham the biggest victory in its history against England (53-10).

Six months from the next World Cup, the two selections are really on two different planets.

One affirms its status as a candidate for the title, while the other is very far from it and must rebuild everything.

"I think we have a little trouble realizing it," Antoine Dupont immediately recognized.

Present in

(every evening from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), "this is a historic result".

With seven tries scored, the Blues of Fabien Galthié erased a record co-held by the matches of 1972 (37-12) and 2006 (31-6).

They also overshadow the 37 points scored in 1972 in Colombes during the Five Nations Tournament (37-12) and inflicted on the English their third biggest defeat in history, but the heaviest at home.

Quite a symbol, which marks the current good form of Fabien Galthié's men.

"It's the most successful match. Everything they wanted to do, they succeeded," rejoiced Philippe Guillard, former rugby player and now director.

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Still hope for the Tournament

Better, they keep alive their dreams of a new title in the Tournament, after the Grand Slam of 2022, while awaiting the result of the shock between Ireland and Scotland, Sunday in Edinburgh.

Everything will therefore be played in a three-way and distance duel on the 5th day: Scotland-Italy, France-Wales and Ireland-England.

Ireland (15 points and two matches to play), France (15 points, one match to play) and Scotland (10 points and two matches to play) are thus competing for a last title six months before the World Cup in France (September 8-October 28).

In the meantime, Fabien Galthié has become the first French coach to win in London in the Tournament since Bernard Laporte: since the victory (18-17) in 2005, Marc Lievremont, Philippe Saint-André, Guy Novès and Jacques Brunel have their teeth were in turn broken in the temple of English rugby.

Galthié himself had returned empty-handed from his first two visits to Twickenham: 22-19 after extra time with a team largely overhauled in 2020 in the short-lived Autumn Cup of Nations then 23-20 the following year in the Tournoi des six nations.

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English people on the ground

His troops have now won wherever they have gone: the Blues have won in Wales (2020, first victory since 2010), Ireland (in 2021, first victory since 2011), Australia (2021, first victory since 1990), in Scotland (in 2022, first victory since 2014) before dominating the legendary All Blacks (2021, first victory since 2009) and the South African world champions (2022, first victory" since 2009).

They thus broke the English lock which had resisted them since 2007. And even 2005 in the Tournament.

"There was a great match which was made by a French team which imposed a vision of the game worked on in training", analyzed Mathieu Blin in 

.

This victory is part of a period when the English are going through a great period of doubts, which can take away a little prestige from this success, as Nicolas Dupin de Beyssat recalled: "The weakness of the opponent puts a small damper nonetheless. But the magnitude of the scoreline is legendary."

Totally in control, the Habs did not, however, suddenly extinguish the doubts after the sluggish victories against Italy (29-24) and Scotland (32-21) or the setback in Ireland (32-19) .

But they won the twelfth French success in England in 117 years while putting Steve Borthwick's men in front of their shortcomings with this record of points conceded at home.