Loud screams resonate from the aisles of the Stade de France. This Thursday and the players of the XV of France needed it to warm up before their final training.
This Friday, at 9:10 p.m., Antoine Dupont and his teammates face Argentina, at the end of their fall tour. If the weather promises to be cold but dry on Saturday, snow fell heavily this Thursday afternoon in Ile-de-France.
A thin layer of snow covers the Saint-Denis pitch as the Blues arrive on the pitch. Gathered in a circle under the snowflakes, the Blues first run on the spot shouting to warm up. Most wore tights, a few wore gloves and hats. The most wrapped up is undoubtedly Antoine Dupont, hidden under layers of clothing. “I was undoubtedly more considerate than the others,” smiled the French captain after this shortened session (around thirty minutes).
“Fortunately, this is not at all the weather forecast for tomorrow (Friday), breathes Dupont. Today, we tried to concentrate on the essentials, to be clean and concise. » William Servat, the French forwards coach, confirms: “The conditions will be cold but good tomorrow,” he assures. Today, we adapted. There was a good mood coming out of the locker room with the snow, we tried to take advantage of it to put our game in place without overdoing it. »
In the three-quarter line, while waiting for the balloons, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, the French will-o’-the-wisp, takes the opportunity to slip his hands into the pockets of his tracksuit. On the edges of the pitch, the co-trainer of the French conquest, Laurent Sempéré, warmed up in his shorts, wets his sneakers in the snow to lay the blocks for this session like no other. The lights of the Stade de France come on. The images are beautiful, the smiles are there.
Avoid the cold snap against the Pumas
This Thursday, the weather and the stakes will be completely different against the Pumas. Objective for the Blues: a 3rd consecutive 100% in the autumn tours, after 2021 and 2022. “These are founding victories. It’s always positive to win these tours, we play all the competitions to win them,” insists Dupont.
After the great performance of the Blues against the All Blacks (30-29 victory), we will however have to be wary of these formidable Argentinians, who this year took on the two finalists of the last World Cup, New Zealand and South Africa, at their hunting table. The Pumas also almost won, 14 against 15, a bitter fight in Ireland last week (24-22 defeat).
“It’s a real threat that arrives tomorrow (Friday), warns Antoine Dupont. Their results in recent months, winning in New Zealand, beating South Africa, it’s not trivial. They are capable of great performances, they have progressed in offensive animation, they are dangerous. It’s up to us to be present, seriously, and not wait until the 15th or 20th minute to enter the match, otherwise it will be too late. He is an opponent who is just behind us in the world rankings. You will have to perform very well to win this big match. » And avoid the cold snap at the Stade de France.
.jpg#joomlaImage://local-images/stories/Les-eleves-de-Kastler-a-la-judo-pro-ligue-2024/1%20(1).jpg?width=1024&height=785&w=300&resize=300,300&ssl=1 "The students of Kastler Stenay, at the Judo Pro League")
