XV of France: why these Blues are amazing

A confinement, a distance, a training… And an enchantment.

Everything is going for the best with the Blues.

Despite the obstacles and the disrupted calendars, they sail high above the waves at the same speed as last winter.

They showed themselves as strong during their convincing success (38-21), in a friendly match, against the Welsh on Saturday in a Stade de France behind closed doors, as during the Six Nations Tournament eight months earlier.

A competition that they will end with a sort of final against the Irish next Saturday in Saint-Denis.

Explanations.

Players above the rest.

The tune is now firmly entrenched in all skulls.

Dupont, Ntamack, Vakatawa, Fickou, or Ollivon mark the spirits.

They could play without disturbing in the best teams in the world and they drag in their wake a whole troop trying to get in tune.

"It is not because they stopped playing a few months that they have forgotten everything," said Pierre Villepreux, the former coach of the XV of France.

They evolve at such a level that they don't need to relearn things.

They are acquired very quickly and forever.

Modern rugby also promotes their adaptation within the XV of France.

The tactical schemes of the clubs are not very far from the game advocated by Fabien Galthié, the coach of the Blues.

A bloated and efficient staff.

Galthié had the means to achieve his ambitions.

He surrounded himself with the best to shape the XV of France which he took charge almost a year ago.

The Englishman Shaun Edwards, for example, straight from Wales, is arguably the greatest defense specialist on the planet.

Thibault Giroud, the physical trainer, who came from Toulon, transformed the short-breathed Blues into impressive war machines, which made the Welsh look like ill-prepared juniors.

They follow the Tricolores from near and far and track down every detail.

“This staff relies on a multitude of very extensive data, adds Pierre Villepreux.

There are very competent people, everything is very precise.

It's interesting when you're dealing with players of this level.

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Opponents losing steam.

If the Blues seemed to fly in Saint-Denis, it is also because the Welsh were particularly weak.

Holes in defense, their strong point, uninspired, slow in their transmissions, they have nothing of the flamboyant authors of the Grand Slam in 2019. Their decline had already begun this winter.

On the lawn of Saint-Denis, they even let their opener Dan Biggar wander, injured from the start of the match.

The Irish veteran Jonathan Sexton (35), who appear at the Stade de France on Saturday, are not much more dashing.

They too are aging.

Their success (50-17) against Italians out of the shot does not change anything.

Today, the Blues can turn without blushing to the south.

Too bad they can't compete with New Zealanders or South Africans… “I think this team has everything to go very far, it can be world champion in 2023, concludes Villepreux.

But be careful, everyone will have to do the job to the end because everything can change very quickly.

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