Prestigious success. The Blues dominated the double South African world champions (21-19) this Friday, at the Stade de France, during the fifth day of the Nations Championship. Three tries on each side. Crazy end to the match. The French XV consolidates its leadership position in the Northern Hemisphere rankings before facing Argentina on November 21.
The brilliant plan praised by Fabien Galthié? Antoine Dupont, 10 in the back, actually plays scrum half when Maxime Lucu, 9 in the back, plays at the opening. Not enough to upset the Springboks, whose roué coach, Rassie Erasmus, had managed a perfect shot from Jarnac, modifying his first line at the last minute: the three starters on the bench, the three substitutes at the start of the match. And when Lucu missed a penalty in the 2nd minute, the first scrum saw the tricolor pack being carried away by the South African phalanx. A bunch of forwards, it is true, deprived of Julien Marchand, package during the warm-up, one more for a French XV already cut by around twenty elements.
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A dream start
The first turning point of the match comes in the 13th minute. The tough second row Lood de Jager receives a yellow card for swinging his shoulder into Lucu's head. For the next two minutes, the Blues, unleashed, swept the field from right to left, from left to right. After 15 phases of play, Lucu serves Aarron Grandidier-Naknang for a try in the corner of the Pau winger (7-0, 16th minute). Kalvin Gourgues, without complex and untenable against Allende and Kriel, the references to the center position with almost 200 cumulative selections, then achieves a decisive pass with the… face, the ball addressed by Moefana surprising him. But Attissogbe followed and flattened the second French try (14-0, 23rd).
Once again at 15, the Springboks tighten up in front, impose a big session and the hooker Wessels is propelled into the French goal by his entire pack at the half-hour mark. The double world champions barely have time to savor that Mauvaka breaks through, Dupont delivers a laser pass to the foot for the inevitable Bielle-Biarrey who beats everyone to flatten in the corner (21-7, 33rd).
The situation is serious for the Boks. Erasmus then retries a bet on the front line by changing it entirely to bring in the “holders” from the 35th minute. But, four minutes later, it was the French who were at fault. Lucu inflicts a big save on Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. The public exults. Unfortunately, the tackle is too high and the Blues fly-half in turn receives a yellow card just before the break.
Beautiful and wild
A numerical advantage from which the South Africans will not take advantage. From the 44th minute, the two teams were reduced to 14. This time, it was the Boks' number 8, Jasper Wiese, who confused commitment and brutality by half-killing Gourgues with a thunderous clearing. Yellow card and bunker. Which changes the color to red. Let's go, this time, for twenty minutes with one man less. But that’s still not enough to coax the men in green and gold. It must be said that Italian referee Andrea Piardi is not idle, inflicting a new yellow card, this time on Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang (49th).
The numerical balance is provisionally restored. The forwards push and Cobus Reinach, the former Montpellier scrum half, flattens in the middle of the posts (21-14, 51st). The last half hour therefore promises to be unbreathable. The battle is becoming more and more furious. Both sides defend with vigor, the two teams are engaged in a constant war on the ground. Beautiful and wild.
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Like people dying of hunger
