XV of France: “We have to come down quickly”… After Cardiff, Léo Barré turns to the Crunch

He is one of the 4 newcomers (with Emmanuel Meafou, Nicolas Depoortère and Georges-Henri Colombe) to have celebrated his first selection with a resounding victory in Wales (45-24), Sunday in Cardiff, in the Six Nations Tournament . At 21, Léo Barré is not about to forget this first cape in the prestigious setting of the Principality Stadium (formerly Millennium).

48 hours later, the back of Stade Français returned, at a press conference in Marcoussis (Essonne), to this obviously special match. “It was a lot of pleasure, pride, excitement to play this match,” admits Léo Barré. I gave 200%, it’s only positive and happy.”

On a personal level, the new back of the Blues recognizes that there was “good and bad” in his performance. “I continue my learning, I have gained experience,” continues Léo Barré. I was well surrounded, I came out stronger from this first experience. »

“We perhaps recover more quickly than the old ones”

At ease alongside the experienced Charles Ollivon (30 years old, 43 caps), whom he kindly rooms (“I’m on target even if I still have some aches, we recover perhaps more quickly than the old ones “), Léo Barré immediately turned to the next objective: France-England, at the end of the Tournament, Saturday at 9 p.m. in Lyon.

“We switch to a new objective. We have to come down quickly, we prepare a Crunch, we have to be ready for England,” breathes Léo Barré. A match which will be worth a lot in the Tournament record for the Blues, who have not won their last three home matches (defeats against South Africa at the Stade de France in the World Cup 29-28 and against Ireland opening the Tournament at the Vélodrome 38-17, draw 13-13 against Italy in Lille).

“Mental freshness and physical energy”

The French XV will be able to count on the freshness of the young blue shoots integrated into Cardiff. A contribution welcomed by Nicolas Jeanjean, the performance director of the XV of France. Léo Barré, the other beginners, but also Nolann Le Garrec (man of the match for his first start), brought “their psychological carefreeness, their mental freshness, their physical energy,” explains Jeanjean. On the raw data, we see that they move a lot, they have not had too many drops in speed compared to their young age. »

“Of course the young people have done good, Léo is one of them,” agrees Charles Ollivon. But we must not separate the young from the older ones too much. It is a whole. The codes, the announcements, the atmosphere… It’s easy to integrate. From the outside, it looks like a big revival, but it’s still the same group. »

This group, which should not change too much in its composition between Cardiff and Lyon, will now face a XV de la Rose invigorated by its great victory on Saturday against Ireland (23-22), and revengeful after the loss suffered against the Blues last year at Twickenham (10-53).

“Obviously, they haven’t forgotten her, and neither have we,” explains Charles Ollivon. England is always special, it’s the match that really matters for us French in an international season. In previous Tournaments, in friendly matches or in the World Cup, it is this match which stands out, it is the Crunch”. See you on Saturday to see Léo Barré and his teammates taste it.