The dream is within reach. After its 13 to 9 victory against Wales, Friday March 11 in Cardiff, France has only one match to win to achieve the Grand Slam. To do this, the Blues, authors of the only try of the match by third line Anthony Jelonch, will have to beat England on the last day of the tournament at the Stade de France on Saturday March 19.
Until the end, while a Welsh try would have changed the game, the defense held on. France thus has a seventh victory in a row and is getting closer to its best series, a series of eight successes, achieved in 2004.
The Blues were deprived of their winger Damian Penaud
However, this meeting had everything of a trap match. First, because France was the only team still undefeated in this 2022 edition of the Tournament and remained on three rank victories against Wales, defending champion but handicapped this year by numerous absences.
Then because the Welsh had won nine of their last ten meetings in their Millennium stadium. It is true that their only defeat had been against… France, in 2020.
The Blues were also deprived of their winger Damian Penaud, affected by the Covid-19 before flying to Cardiff.
Kicking
As usual – since the start of the Tournament, 20% of the points scored by the Blues are scored in the first ten minutes – the XV of France hit hard from the start, with a try from the third line Anthony Jelonch from the 9th minute.
Following a surplus, the Gersois found himself offset on the wing, well served by Gabin Villière and in an ideal position to flatten his second try, after that scored against Italy on the first day, and the 14th of the Blues since the start of the competition.
The first half was punctuated, as was to be expected, by numerous exchanges of kicks between the French and Welsh rears.
A very physical game
In a Millennium stadium that was not full, more than 10,000 seats having not found takers, the two teams played a very physical match, in an electric atmosphere, Welsh choirs proclaiming « Wales, Wales » It front of “Marseille” and “go blues” many French spectators.
Leek XV “makes very few mistakes, it’s a team that gives very few resources to the opponent. On the contrary, as soon as we open up, the Welsh exploit the slightest flaw, they rush in and manage to score points fairly quickly.captain Antoine Dupont had warned the day before the match.
Fortunately, the Blues striker, Melvyn Jaminet, was impeccable, both in the reception of the many candles and in his kicks, even if he missed a last penalty in the 77th which could have given the French fans a little breather. . During the second period, the Welsh tried everything, multiplying the offensives, but without success.
A growing team
“The dream scenario is to win the matches that follow: four wins in four matches, that’s the dream scenario, commented on Friday March 11 Fabien Galthié, the coach of the XV of France, at the end of the meeting. That was the goal and I remind you that the team is young, growing. We will now turn to the last match, England, finalists of the World Cup, one of the great nations of world rugby. We are going to have a very pleasant weekend and then Monday, we will have to prepare for it”.
