Three months after the painful elimination in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, the French XV returns to its audience and the competition. France faces Ireland, another injured beast of the 2023 World Cup, on Friday in Marseille, at the opening of the 2024 Six Nations Tournament. A competition that the Blues will play without Antoine Dupont, focused on the 2024 Olympics.
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For France and Ireland, the last World Cup ended at the same quarter-final stage and in the same venue, the Stade de France. Ireland, then the world’s leading nation, were beaten by New Zealand, while France fell by a narrow point to South Africa.
Since this cruel elimination at home, the debate has raged around the Blues’ missed opportunity to finally win a World Cup. A French group which has the possibility of finally turning the page with a shock against Ireland at the opening of the Six Nations Tournament, Friday February 2 in Marseille.
If Fabien Galthié remains the coach of the Blues, the staff has been reshuffled for his new mandate scheduled to last until the next World Cup, in 2027: Patrick Arlettaz is now in charge of the attack, Laurent Sempéré of the conquest, and Nicolas Jeanjean was promoted to performance director.
On the player side, the big absentee will be star Antoine Dupont, captain during the World Cup. He is focused on the rugby sevens event of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and cannot play in the tournament this year. A special 2024 edition since the Blues will not be able to play in their garden at the Stade de France, under construction before the 2024 Olympics.
Grégory Alldritt new captain
Antoine Dupont, who is due to join the Bleus du VII on Monday for a preparation course, will be replaced in his role as captain by third row Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle), and in that of scrum half by his usual number two Maxime Lucu ( Bordeaux-Bègles). A new number 9 will therefore appear on the substitutes’ bench: Nolann Le Garrec, aged 21.
Ten of the fifteen starters beaten by the Springboks (29-28) on October 15 will begin the match at the Vélodrome against the XV du Trèfle, author of the Grand Slam last year. Added to the unavailability of Antoine Dupont are the injuries of Anthony Jelonch (knee) and Thibaud Flament (foot), and the choices of the French management. Paul Gabrillagues thus makes his return to the second line after four years of absence from the French team, while winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey leaves his place to Yoram Moefana.
With the loss of Romain Taofifenua, a new colossus appears among the Blues: Posolo Tuilagi, 145 kilos, was called to the rescue. Only 19 years old, this son of a former Samoan international from Perpignan will experience his first selection against Ireland with the XV of France if he enters the field.
This match against the world number two, who have not won in France since 2018, must serve to “turn the page” of the World Cup, assured fullback Thomas Ramos. “If we beat Ireland and have a good tournament, people will also talk to us a little less about the World Cup,” added the Toulouse native.
In 2020, at the end of the Japanese World Cup, already over in the quarters, the Blues opened the mandate of their new coach Fabien Galthié with a prestigious victory in front of England (24-17), vice-world champion. They aim to begin this new chapter of the Galthié era with equally resounding success against the Irish who also want to put the disillusionment of the World Cup behind them.
The Irish without their Sexton totem
The Clover XV is under reconstruction after the retirement of its totem Jonathan Sexton (38 years old, 118 caps) and a shower of withdrawals (Mack Hansen, Ross Byrne, Dave Kilcoyne…).
Despite everything, the teammates of new boss Peter O’Mahony (34 years old, 101 caps) should continue to rely on what has been their strength for many years: iron discipline, precise offensive play, formidable aggression. around the rucks…
“We know the Irish team, they have been on the same circuits, on the same events for a very long time (…). They have this advantage of adapting their way of playing to club and national team, their way of sensing imbalances, with very well-oiled training”, analyzes Patrick Arlettaz.
“We don’t think there will be a revolution. There will be an evolution, inevitably, because they are not the same players, not with the same experience either but we expect a very similar playing philosophy to what they offered before”, added the former coach of Perpignan, before this match which looked like a redemption for the two teams.
With AFP