A landmark victory, built in fervor and pain. The France Four years after the last success against these Springboks in Marseille, three years after the heartbreaking quarter-final of the World Cup at home, or even a year after losing control, always against the same opponent, the Blues this time found the light in front of their incandescent supporters. “We wanted a bit of a signature match, we didn't have it last year in November, we lost to these South Africans,” Gregory Alldritt immediately commented on TF1, a feeling shared by Charles Ollivon in the mixed zone.
Listening to those first concerned, the success was gleaned above all thanks to the state of mind of a group predicted to lose all week but which knew how to force its destiny. “I believe that the players, when they put on the blue jersey, they are transcended. This is what happened this evening,” greeted the French coach at a press conference. And this despite chronic indiscipline (14 penalties conceded and above all three yellow cards which complicated things on the field).
“We sent ourselves accordingly”
Asked about the state of mind in the locker room at the break, while the Blues were leading 21-7, Louis Bielle-Biarrey listed: "The state of mind is that we are 14 against 15, so we know that we are going to have to tighten our butts for at least eight minutes. It is that there is a try refused for next to nothing, so we know that we do not have much room for maneuver. The state of mind is that we are 14 points ahead and we have to stay ahead whatever it costs. We sent ourselves accordingly. Immediate illustration: Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, "emotionally and physically tired" ("South Africa is no joke, it hits really hard on both sides of the ball"), but filled with "immense pride to have been able to participate in a victory like that, rare in the history of confrontations."
We suffered, but we had a common thread which allowed us to ensure a minimum.
Fabien Galthié, coach of the French XV
at TF1
This solidarity was also found in the defensive performance of the French collective. Under the spotlight for the first full-scale test of the new addition to the staff Geoffrey Doumayrou, new specific coach, the French defense was able to resist the South African assault too many, in a second half that was far from perfect, in the opinion of all those involved in the match. “It shows the whole state of mind of this team which did not give up, even when it was in difficulty, on our goal line where we also took tries but we knew how to fight, we knew how to send them home and we knew how to hold the score until the end, which was not easy!”, rejoiced Antoine Dupont at the microphone of TF1. Without controlling either possession (45%) or occupation (42%), the Blues logically tackled more (175 against 142), with more success (21 missed tackles against 32).
Iron Defense
Until the last saving intervention of Louis Bielle-Biarrey to seal the meeting. “I find this sequence just magnificent,” rewound the Bordeaux arrow, smiling, in front of the cameras. “I don’t know how long it lasts, we showed quite exceptional solidarity and it’s true that it’s me who is highlighted at the end, but it’s the work of the whole team, and it’s just a huge source of pride tonight to have fought like that because it wasn’t easy.”
Even before the last action, there are several small actions where collectively we defend well, we are close to recovering the ball. And a huge “loulou” board which allows us to recover the ball. I was on the other side, when I see we have the ball I already put my hands on my head, because that's when I realize we've done it.
Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang
in mixed zone
And if memories will undoubtedly remember above all this heroic effort of the second half, the Blues also built their success in the first act, by showing that they could deploy their game and annoy these Springboks with their weapons, adding surgical precision and clinical realism.
With three tries in the first 40 minutes, they hit where their opponents were hurting, like the third try from Louis Bielle-Biarrey, in the oven and in the mill all evening (and who now has 30 tries in 29 capes), in response to the first achievement conceded a few moments before. “They played well and we played badly, but we have no excuses, they took their chances, and we didn’t,” South African coach and strategist Rassie Erasmus soberly analyzed.
The Dupont paw
At the helm of this performance, of course, is the conductor Antoine Dupont, always present at major events regardless of the number on the back. Open half on the scoresheet but scrum half in the role, the French captain was one of the great architects of the evening's success, a magician in his kicks, passing everywhere to serve teammates, credited with the award for best player of the match (and the nickname "GOAT", "Greatest of all time", "the best of all time", by Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang in the mixed zone).
When he carries his balls, something always happens, a 50-22 from the left, he gives me a precise foot pass, you don't realize, but the timing is still crazy [...] In defense too, he put himself in the wheels of the truck as they say (laughs). It's a little smaller than the others, but it sends terribly. It's a treat to play with him, when he's at that level, it's exceptional.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey
in mixed zone
Targeted by the Springboks who were not mistaken about the main threat to watch out for, he also helped concentrate the pressure, and free his teammates, according to Charles Ollivon: "He took a lot of pressure off us, because the South Africans put a lot of pressure on him [...] But she slipped quite a bit. He had a great match." Enough to put your stamp on one of the most striking performances of the French XV in recent years. One year before the World Cup, the Blues may have just opened part of the way.
