If Fabien Galthié criticized the performance of his troops against Uruguay, the coach of the French XV was satisfied after the match that no new injuries were added, on Thursday, September 14, to the incomplete score of the Blues (27-12). . Because the blue infirmary, very full at the beginning of the World Cup, is gradually emptying. This is demonstrated by the composition of the France team that will face Namibia, on Thursday, September 21 (9 p.m.), in Marseille.
Absent since mid-August due to a right calf injury, left prop Cyril Baille finds his place in the front line, as does powerful center Jonathan Danty, injured in his thigh at the end of preparation. In a French XV that is close to a typical team – and players who beat the All Blacks in the opening match -, only third row Gregory Alldritt is missing, saved after an alert (knee) during training on Monday.
“We hear a lot of debate about the composition of the teams, but we compose our teams by weeks”, insisted Fabien Galthié, on Tuesday, September 19, in Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône). After the success against the New Zealanders, “Those who had played needed to recover”, explains the coach. Then, a largely renewed team faced and painfully beat Uruguay, in Lille, six days later.
The second term of Louis Biele-Biarrey
“After the game in Lille, we had a seven-day week in which we had the possibility to put the All Blacks players back into a classic rotation”explains the French technician, who assures that“there is no change of course” despite the slow game – and the absence of an offensive bonus point (awarded for four tries scored) – against the Teros. The same explanation for the second consecutive departure of the young Louis Biele-Biarrey on the wing, to the detriment of Gabin Villière, who had played the first two games.
Two weeks after the opening game and before cutting so much time (due to the groups of five, each team takes a weekend off), the Blues’ starters are eager to return to the competition. “There is no need to overdo it, I am happy to be able to play, I need rhythm, to find reference points with the team”, starter Matthieu Jalibert said Monday. Member of the starting XV since Romain Ntamack’s injury at the end of preparation, the Bordeaux flyhalf aspires to perfect his hinge automatisms with Antoine Dupont.
“A lot of players were saved after the game against the All Blacks a fortnight ago and I hope there are two weeks left before Italy and other upcoming events.the French captain insisted on Tuesday. We simply put in our best team, as we often do depending on current fitness levels. We want to play the best possible game in terms of result and form. »
Facing 21my world nation, which has not won a single match in its six World Cup appearances, the blues want to forget their incomplete performance against Uruguay. “We don’t think about the extra point, we only think about achieving a successful performance”, assures Toulouse’s second line, Thibaud Flament. If the Namibians suffered a tough defeat in the opening of the World Cup, against Italy (52-8) and then New Zealand (71-3), the French say they want to respect their opponent. “We saw that they got a lot of points in the first two games, so we also want to score points and tries, but that will require respecting our game”estimates full-back Thomas Ramos.
Thomas Ramos – Damian Penaud, Gaël Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Louis Bielle-Biarrey – (o) Matthieu Jalibert, (m) Antoine Dupont (cap.) – Charles Ollivon, Anthony Jelonch, François Cros – Thibaud Flament, Cameron Woki – Uini Atonio , Peato Mauvaka, Cyril Baille.
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