France wins without shining against South Africa for its entry into the running
The France team won its first match of the World Cup against South Africa with the offensive bonus (40-5). But Les Bleues experienced a lot of waste in their game and were not fully reassured before the shock of Pool C against England on October 15.
The game: 40-5
Widely favorites of the first match of this New Zealand World Cup, the Blues were faithful to their status by dominating without trembling South Africa. In front of a largely sparse public – the local supporters certainly awaiting the poster of the Black Ferns against Australia later in the day to converge on Eden Park -, the France team was however not reassured. His game has too often been plagued by clumsiness in conquest and bad attacking choices to completely dispel the doubts born of the two laborious preparation matches against Italy (21-0 victory and 26-19 defeat).
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The meeting against the Springboks had however started in the best possible way with an early try from the inevitable Laure Sansus. The scrum half of Les Bleues, the best player of the last Six Nations Tournament, took advantage of a large space left by the south-af defense (2nd). Then Gabrielle Vernier in turn visited the Eden Park in-goal after a kicking game over the defense of Caroline Drouin (11th). Clever, Émilie Boulard intercepted a floating pass to give the Bleues a comfortable lead (19-0, 17th).
After this start of bosses, Thomas Darracq’s players began to stammer their rugby, chaining hand faults. Handicapped by a beleaguered conquest (see elsewhere)the France team then went through a tunnel of approximations, even cashing a try from Nomawethu Mabenge on returning from the locker room (50th), only to come out in the last quarter of an hour.
After a quickly played penalty, Sansus forced the lock in force and offered the offensive bonus to the Blues very late. Caroline Drouin (70th) then Joanna Grisez (80th + 1) ended up giving the score a scale more in line with the status of the Habs.
But the many missed opportunities, the chronic indiscipline and the naive errors seen this Saturday will inevitably be prohibitive against the English steamroller, during the second pool match, on October 15th. » We got the points, that’s the main thing. »declared Sansus at the microphone of TF1 after the victory of the day, before adding, lucid: “But the content is not yet satisfactory. »
The fact: The first blue line in default
The France team was warned, they knew that their main challenge would be to resist the physical density of the South African pack. In the current game, the Bleues have done quite well, thanks in particular to the advances of Romane Ménager and the bleeding tackles of Madoussou Fall. But in conquest, the afternoon was much more negative.
Hooker Laure Touyé had a lot of trouble in touch, redacting two throws (32nd, 53rd), and committing a rude forward behind a blue maul in a good position (29th). Props Annaëlle Deshaye and Clara Joyeux were outplayed in closed scrum, conceding two penalties each.
These difficulties in game launches alone do not explain the problems encountered by the France team against South Africa. But they largely seized the machine. Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz, respectively in charge of the scrum and the touch in the staff of the Blue, probably already know what the week of training will be made of.
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