After the All Blacks, Uruguay. The French XV, largely overhauled with Anthony Jelonch as captain, moves on to the second stage of its World Cup, this Thursday (7 p.m. UT) in Lille, facing an incomparably more modest opponent.
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On paper, the Blues, among the big favorites of the competition, have little to fear from the Uruguayans: in five participations in a World Cup, the 17th nation in the World Rugby rankings has only won three matches. But there is no question of wasting this second meeting. “ We approach it like the New Zealand match. The gap between the two teams is there on paper, it is present, but the Uruguayans will be keen to do well and show a good image. We would have too much to lose by taking them too high », assured hooker Pierre Bourgarit, one of the twelve changes made by Fabien Galthié compared to the XV launched against the All Blacks at the opening of the tournament, last Friday (27-13 victory).
“The best team of the moment »
The main change comes in the third row, where Anthony Jelonch succeeded in his incredible bet: victim of a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on February 26, operated on at the beginning of March, the Toulouse player will play his first match in six months. With captain’s stripes, what’s more. “ I’ve been preparing for it for a few weeks, ready to play. I trained hard again all last week and Fabien (Galthié) told me: ‘You choose the match you want to play.’ I replied: ‘As soon as possible, I feel ready.’ He told me that I would even be captain on Thursday and I thought about all the hard moments since the injury. I’m not a very emotional person, but it made me happy. I can’t wait for it to kick off “, confided Jelonch.
Alongside him, only three of the All Blacks’ starting XV retained their place: second row Cameron Woki, winger Gabin Villière and center Yoram Moefana.
The usual executives – captain and scrum half Antoine Dupont, center Gaël Fickou, winger Damian Penaud, full-back and scorer Thomas Ramos or third line Grégory Alldritt – were left to rest.
“ This is the best team at the moment », Yet defended coach Fabien Galthié, who must manage the fitness of his stars, the sequence of matches (three in nine days) and the injured (Paul Willemse, Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille, Jonathan Danty. ..).
“ Be free »
Because if the quarter-finals seem promised to the Blues in a group A completed by Italy and Namibia, the path to the semi-finals will pass through one of the leaders of group B, where the South African world champions, the N .1 Irish world leaders and the Scottish front-runners – the team that has beaten the French XV the most since Galthié arrived on the bench.
Until then, the Uruguayans, who will play their first match in the tournament on Thursday, will not offer themselves as victims. “Los Teros”, named after a South American bird with aggressive behavior, arrived in France with a knife between their teeth. “For some time now, Uruguay has been trying more to impose its game. Obviously, it is more difficult at this level of competition, but the idea remains the same: to offer things, both in defense and in attack, and not to suffer,” assured winger Nicolas Freitas, who plays for Vannes (Pro D2).
(With AFP)