In the middle of the fog, a glow.
A blue hole on which the imagination and hopes cling.
A light almost three years away.
It is far in this world of hesitation and setbacks, which is approached from day to day and breaks up in the face of a pernicious virus.
It is also close on a human scale and that of the oval balloon.
Above all, it can boost morale.
This Monday noon, at the Palais Brongniart, in the heart of the capital, Emmanuel Macron will be present to mark the event of the day: the draw for the 2023 World Cup which will take place in France (September 8 - October 21).
A World Cup that acts as a beacon for the Tricolors who have emerged from long years of stagnation and shipwrecks since they were taken over last January by Fabien Galthié.
The record turned green in 2020. Seven victories in nine games, a second place in the Six Nations Tournament, a final of the Autumn Nations Cup lost after extra time in England against the XV de la rose, vice-champion of the world, with a B team ...
"There are the players, the staff and the time to build and progress"
To the point of propelling the Blues to the rank of credible contenders for a coronation they have never known.
“Of course the XV of France can be world champion, launches Pierre Villepreux, former coach.
There are the players for that, the staff and the time to build and progress.
And opponents who, for the moment, do not show anything exciting.
The English, heavy, play slowly and mechanically.
The Welsh and the Irish are aging, in decline, the Scots too fragile.
The All Blacks are inconstant, Argentines and Australians too.
As for the Springboks, world champions, they haven't played for over a year ...
"Given the reservoir of the Blues, and the incredible talent of this generation with Dupont, Ntamack, Alldritt, I do not see what could prevent them from reaching their goal, advance Mourad Boudjellal, the former president of Toulon, who had hired Fabien Galthié as coach of the RCT in 2017. Today, they scare everyone on the planet.
The problem will be to designate the lucky ones chosen among 40 or 50 players.
The choices will have to be well explained, otherwise the competition can be complicated.
"
It will also be a question of avoiding losing feathers in the hen phase.
Pandemic requires, the positions in the world ranking to designate the five seeds were stopped on January 1, 2020. The Habs were 7th while they are now 4th.
They could therefore end up for example with New Zealand or South Africa which appear in hat 1, and with Argentina, relegated to hat 3, for two qualifying places for the quarterfinals.
"A lot can happen by then," said Jean-Baptiste Lafond, the former three-quarter international.
It is true that there is a lot of talent, of quality, of hope, but we are starting from afar.
A semi-final would be good.
A final would be a successful World Cup.
Do not get drunk too quickly.
"