2023-09-14 21:55:00
Twelve. At kick-off, Fabien Galthié had made twelve changes compared to his victorious entry once morest the Blacks. So many players who, facing valiant but much inferior – at least on paper – Uruguayans, had to show themselves. So let’s not dream, even with a good match, they certainly would not have been propelled into the starting line-up in a potential quarter-final. But still. It was the opportunity (or never, for some?) to grab some playing time for the rest of the competition.
Yoram Moefana lost, Arthur Vincent out of action
Yet this Thursday evening, in the Lille suburbs, it was difficult to get a man out of this collective mess. Go, almost Anthony Jelonch, for his lightning return from injury. But otherwise… hard, hard to be an international. Led by replacement hinge Maxime Lucu – Antoine Hastoy amorphous, completely extinct, the Blues never really created.
We can also think of Yoram Moefana, starter once morest the Blacks and realigned once morest “Los Teros”. The comparison with the usual captain of the post, Jonathan Danty, is dizzying. Struggling offensively, approximate, the Bordeaux player did not make a good decision all evening. Not helped by his evening partner, Arthur Vincent. The man who had become one of the key men in the Galthié system before his injury was only a shadow of himself. Like out of shape. This is evidenced by his defensive errors, notably in the 53rd minute, on the Uruguayan try. In the back triangle, it was also the great World Cup debut of Louis Bielle-Biarrey. And there too, even if he concluded his match with an unopposed try in the 73rd, he experienced a complicated first. Not really helpful, to a fault when he had to play the trash dog in the rucks… the Bordeaux UFO showed that he still has big steps to take. On his other wing, Gabin Villière, although far from having had his best game in Blue, and Damian Penaud, in the stands, can sleep peacefully.
Caught…even in front
If behind, the Blues never succeeded in attacking, it must be said that up front, they did not really impress. Rather dominated in the scrum, like Dorian Aldegheri sanctioned three times, Anthony Jelonch’s teammates did not have clean balls to play on.
No more on their ammunition on the sidelines, wasted by a Pierre Bourgarit from bad days. With Julien Marchand’s injury – at least until the quarter-finals – the Rochelais clearly had a chance to play. This Thursday evening’s match demonstrated that in this position, Peato Mauvaka was indeed the undisputed leader.
Difficult, as you will have understood, to come away with anything positive from this meeting. Propelled as holders, the finishers did not free themselves from their status. Fabien Galthié, who must have hoped to have to rack his brains to put names on the paper of his starting XV, will not really have any problems doing so. And it’s almost a shame. Some Tricolores will have one last chance to show themselves once morest Namibia, at the Vélodrome next Thursday. From there to shaking up the clear hierarchy? Hard to imagine.
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#Victorious #Uruguay #reworked #French #team #upset #hierarchy
