You don’t pass forty points to an opponent every day at the Stade de France. But let’s be honest, you don’t play a team as weak as Japan every day to kick off their fall tour. So yes, the XV of France unfolded (52-12) on Saturday evening, with an almost too easy offensive festival of eight tries. But after midnight, when the first French players showed up in the mixed zone, we found no one to roll around in joy on the gray carpet in this part of the Saint-Denis enclosure.
For what ? Because these forty points difference stuck to the Japanese collide with other statistics, more worrying a week before facing the All Blacks: indiscipline, with 11 penalties conceded compared to only seven for the Japanese. But also possession of the ball, in favor of Eddie Jones‘ men (46% against 54%), as well as the number of meters covered with the ball (899 against 1222).
The Blues scored a lot, but where their offensive sequences ended quickly in the goal, those of the Japanese dragged on. The staff did not appreciate this point and the referee’s whistle. And according to several players, Fabien Galthié had his rant during the break in the locker room.
“We are not happy with everything,” the Blues coach said at a press conference. Message received by his flock, who declined the “we will have to do better, we have work to do” in every way afterwards. “We will have to be better next week because it will be a step above,” underlines winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, excellent Saturday with two tries. There are lots of little points to erase, because we know that we won’t have as many opportunities both in attack and in defense. »
“If they have that much possession, it will be difficult”
“We made seven or eight mistakes in the first period, we will pay even more cash against New Zealand or Argentina (the last opponent of the fall tour) if we are so undisciplined,” continues third row Alexandre Roumat . It’s not easy to defend against one of the best teams in the world, so if they (the New Zealanders) have as much possession as the Japanese, it will be difficult. »
There now remains a week of work in Marcoussis to hope to recover and prepare to face a team very solidly launched in its autumn tour. After dominating the English (22-24) to the wire a week ago, the vice-world champions won the clash in Ireland on Friday (13-23).
“The All Blacks are very strong. They are challenged, like against England where they are heckled, but in the end they end up winning, describes third row Grégory Alldritt. This is what great teams are all about. We have been warned. » And aware that the observation round against Japan will have little or nothing in common with this meeting against the New Zealanders.
