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Health, form, morale: in what state did Galthié find his Blues after the bubble fiasco?

2021-03-08T14:28:42.261Z


The 31 players selected to prepare for the Crunch against England on Saturday (5:45 p.m.) at Twickenham have been back in Marcoussis since Sunday evening. With many unanswered questions.


In what state of health?

The Blues have, since the appearance of the first positive cases on Tuesday, February 16, been closely monitored, passing countless PCR and blood tests.

To reintegrate the health bubble of Marcoussis, which will this time be much more “hermetic” (Didier Retière, now in charge of compliance with the health protocol), it was therefore necessary to present nickel analyzes.

This explains the non-selections of the center of Montpellier, Arthur Vincent, and of the mainstay of La Rochelle, Uini Atonio, who were still developing symptoms at the end of the week and were considered still potentially contagious.

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XV of France: Ntamack, Vakatawa and Chat back to challenge England

As soon as they arrived on Sunday evening, the 31 players were again tested and placed in solitary confinement pending the results on Monday.

If they all turn out to be negative, training can be resumed.

Other tests will be carried out over the week to ensure that no player again jeopardizes the health security of the France team.

There remains the question of the possible sequelae for the players, among the twelve tested positive, who were not asymptomatic.

With medical confidentiality, it is impossible to know their identities.

But we can bet that the medical follow-up and the exams passed made sure that no Blue was taking risks with his health.

In what state of form?

The France team have not played since their victory in Dublin on February 13.

Twenty of those selected were however able to evolve into Top 14 this weekend.

Side of the supposed case-contacts, Dorian Aldegheri, Bernard Le Roux, Paul Willemse, Dylan Cretin, Anthony Jelonch, Cameron Woki, Baptiste Serin, Matthieu Jalibert and Anthony Bouthier all played at least 40 minutes, some more.

Newcomers to the group, Castres Wilfrid Hounkpatin, Bordelais Cyril Cazeaux, Parisian Jonathan Danty and UBB center Yoram Moefana also set foot on the lawns.

Good news for the XV of France, long-time injured have also finally made their returns on the lawns of the Top 14. This is the case of the pillar of the RCT Jean-Baptiste Gros, the scrum half of LOU Baptiste Couilloud, the hooker Racing Camille Chat, his teammate Virimi Vakatawa and Stade Toulousain opener Romain Ntamack.

For these last two, respectively six weeks and two big months in the infirmary, the question arises however of their lack of rhythm to start a meeting as intense as the Crunch.

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This concern arises even more with the twelve Blues not having played a single minute this weekend in the Top 14, which means that they have not played since February 13 (except for the winger of the Racing, Donovan Taofinenua, lined up on February 19 in Top 14).

These are partly players who tested positive for Covid 19 (Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille, Charles Ollivon, Antoine Dupont, Mohamed Haouas, Brice Dulin, Romain Taofifenua).

Others were simply left to rest (Grégory Alldritt, Pierre Bourgarit, Teddy Thomas, Gaël Fickou, Damian Penaud).

If, for the latter, we can think that they took the opportunity to recharge the batteries, for the seven positive players, the fatigue of the virus added, we can wonder about their true state of form.

The performance director, Thibaut Giroud, and his assistants, have only five days to bring everyone up to physical level in order to present a team that is as homogeneous as possible in this area.

U20 "immuno-covids" as training partners?

Workouts that will take place at 31?

Or with reinforcements to go up to 42, as desired by Fabien Galthié for his high-intensity sessions?

The FFR has not yet decided.

It is studying the possibility of appointing "immuno-covid" players from the France U20 team as training partners.

An eventuality that thrills given the recent misadventures of the XV of France ...

In what state of mind ?

Off, players (how many?) Claim that a break has occurred.

In question, the not very exemplary behavior of Fabien Galthié, who left the health bubble, the explanations with variable geometry of Serge Simon concerning the patient 0, and the very aggressive speech against the group of Bernard Laporte, threatening to deprive the World Cup moles.

The group was therefore waiting, this Monday, for a frank explanation and soothing words (apologies too?) From the coach and manager of the XV of France, Raphaël Ibanez.

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Covid-19:" The XV of France respected the health protocol ", slice Jean-Michel Blanquer

It remains to measure the depth of this discontent.

A fleeting anger or a feeling of injustice that takes longer to erase?

Only two players have spoken publicly about the situation.

Rather suggesting a punctual annoyance.

“The facts or the controversies do not concern us at all, as if it were a little outside us.

The group lives exactly as before this crisis, without doubts.

We have the impression that it is a bit the fault of bad luck and we do not put the pressure at all.

We do not feel impacted, ”assured the third-line Castres, questioned by

Midi Olympique

.

“Even though I was outside of it all, I followed like everyone else.

Knowing the players, I don't think it changed anything, added Ntamack, quoted by AFP.

We, as players, our only interest is to win every game, to win titles.

So what happens outside of sport does not matter to us, it is only the field that interests us. "

Language of wood for fear of reprisals or real detachment?

The answer will come from the pitch on Saturday against England.

Read also

  • Eddie Jones: "Owen Farrell is always learning to be a good captain"

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-03-08

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