A real clash at the top this Saturday (5:45 p.m.) at the Stade de France between the two Grand Slam contenders. “We are going to live the sublime”, promised the coach, Fabien Galthié.
Hostilities always begin with words. James Ryan, captain of Ireland in the absence of Jonathan Sexton, package, drew the first. “We come to reduce the Stade de France to silence.“When the words of the second line were reported to Fabien Galthié, he first had difficulty in suppressing a small smile of contentment. Then, gently, calmly, he answered. “We hear. And we’re going to share it with the team… Our objective is to experience the most intense emotion possible with our supporters. To live the sublime.“The coach of the XV of France still vibrates with the communion experienced within the walls of Saint-Denis three months ago during the resounding success of his troop, 40 to 25, against the All Blacks. And aspires only to taste these shivers again, this great happiness.
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Everything is there for an unforgettable evening. A shock at the top against the best team in Europe (and world number 3). Twelve long years of failures in the quest for a new Grand Slam. An audience that is more and more seduced and filled with hope, eager to once again shout out its support, its pride, its joy. But for it to be a big night, the Blues will have to be big. Immense even, if they want to compete with the green giants.
Raise the level
A year that the Irish have not known the bitter taste of defeat. It was in Dublin against… the XV of France (13-15). Since then, the Clover warriors have chained nine successes, also triumphing over the All Blacks (29-20), before crushing the unfortunate Welsh (29-7), defending champions immediately forfeited a week ago. With always the same method. A pack of brass, unbreakable in melee, vigorous in the battle of the rucks, brutal in contact, to wear down the opposing resistance. And some talents behind, including Garry Ringrose running from Eire, to finish off the enemy. With a weak point however. The aging Conor Murray (on the bench) and Jonathan Sexton (injured) have not found their heirs at the hinge, Jamison Gibson-Park from Leinster and Joey Carbery from Munster are still far from making the pair.
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It will take the Blues a lot of courage and determination, solidarity and talent, to win the terrible battle which promises to last eighty minutes, the two coaches having stuffed their respective benches with warriors boiling to do battle. “They will stamp their feet. We’re going to let them go to win the last twenty minutes“, confirmed Galthié the strategist. Noise and fury until the thrust, the last second no doubt. Provided that, from the kick-off, Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack, as they promised, raise their level by two or three notches. Let the front five hold the arm wrestle. That the French third line stifles the fighting spirit of the ferocious Irish triplet. May Yoram Moefana, kid from Futuna and first Blue born in the 2000s, keep a cool head and warm muscles for his first tenure in the Six Nations Tournament.
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The XV of France aims to finally conquer the planet in eighteen months, during a World Cup organized at home. But, Galthié knows it, repeats it, we have to tick boxes by then. Finally winning in Australia, it’s done. Beat the All Blacks again, too. The next is to win the Tournament for the first time since 2010. One more reason to beat Ireland. “All this gives us the obligation, the will and the conviction to raise our cursor at all levels“, Asked Fabien Galthié. It remains to know the word of the end.
