It's a blow to stay tense until the end of the year celebrations.
The XV of France and England offered this Sunday to millions of viewers captivated by the suspense of an indecisive meeting a stifling final: an extension to sudden death to decide between the two teams tied (19-19) after the classics 80 minutes in this final of the Nations Cup.
The equivalent of the old golden goal in football, but rugby version.
But the latter is not very used to this rule in a sport where draws are quite rare.
Rugby World Cup regulations provide for ten minutes of sudden death in knockout matches, but only after playing twenty minutes of “classic” overtime.
For this competition, the regulations provided for directly plunging the players into the fear of collecting any point.
What the staff of the France team must have whispered to interested parties, obviously not all prepared for this scenario.
"We had to calm down to approach it well"
"We are here to play, but we were told as the match progressed how it was going to be in the event of extra time", describes second row Guillaume Ducat.
“We were reminded at the end of the meeting,” confirms his partner Brice Dulin.
It was necessary to calm down at first to approach it well.
"
Because the exercise offers little room for error in rugby where a penalty exposes the opponent to score points.
And it is in an atmosphere worthy of a Sunday afternoon among amateurs, with two selectors descended along the field, 2000 spectators excited by the scenario and substitutes who raise their arms and howl at each suspicion of faults, that Ireland's Andrew Brace launched the thirty players for a first ten-minute streak.
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"We knew we were going to put them in the hard if we continued to be strong and united," said Brice Dulin.
This is where these famous arbitration decisions that made Fabien Galthié tick.
“It's part of the game, blows the coach of the Blues.
If you look closely, there are several.
I hope they will be in our favor in a few months.
"
Penalties greeted with cries of joy
We imagine that he is talking about this severe penalty quickly inflicted (83rd) to Selevasio Tolofua at 35 m in front of the French poles, and celebrated with a lot of cries by the English forwards and their supporters.
Before the mood subsides when their captain Owen Farrell's attempt hits the post and reignites the suspense.
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In the process, the French also had their highlight in the English camp after a forward from Billy Vunipola.
A series of flush attacks, again decided in favor of the British by Andrew Brace.
Which granted, in a second sequence of ten minutes of sudden death, a new penalty to the XV de la Rose.
New arms raised, again cries of joy from the English and their 2000 supporters.
And this time, Farrell who does not miss (22-19, 95th).