Can we beat New Zealand, arguably the best on the planet, two weeks after a difficult entry against Argentina, the weakest nation of weight in the Southern Hemisphere, at home?
In absolute terms, yes.
But if the XV of France did not put many small crosses in the column "arguments in his favor" this Saturday evening for the kickoff of his tour against Argentina, he at least had the merit of s 'tear off to avoid leaving the entry road.
But the big offensive surges will wait a bit.
Naively, we thought that Blues equipped with assets like Antoine Dupont, Matthieu Jalibert or Romain Ntamack, had enough to offer combinations to make throats roar frustrated by a year and a half of sanitary deprivation.
But the reality of the first minutes of this inaugural meeting of the autumn transformed the neocapitaine tricolor into the co-best tackle of his team at the break, saw the second commit a surprising ball to offer the only try of the first period to Cubelli and Pumas (22nd) and the third try to exist in a tough match.
Because the Argentines had not come to watch these young people treat their audience.
A live test
Sorry for the good repetition of our settings, but Argentina had a reputation to uphold: that of a tough team, physical and able to come and heat the heads of its opponents.
Small teasing in strong tackles, the casserole of the Dionysian lawn exploded on a first confrontation - sorry a fight - collective (26th) before a new explanation a minute later, with two yellow cards to the key.
In the middle of all this, the revelation of the Australian tour Melvyn Jaminet was in charge of bringing the Blues to the power of his foot with two points ahead at the break (9-7).
See also France-Argentina: 21 months later, the supporters of the Blues return to the stadium, "we find life!"
But in this match which smelled of sulfur and tension, it was the most inexperienced Frenchman of the whole who came to get his partners out of the rut. Thibaud Flament, 24 years old, a UFO journey with beginnings in Belgium and experiences in Argentina and England before joining Toulouse a year and a half ago, and a powerful test in the axis to change the France in the lead (50th).
A renewed confidence to boost all his partners, whose growing influence in the fight became undeniable.
Argentina continued to try to spoil the outflows, but it was France that gradually tamed the rhythm of this fight.
Leading to this positive point: under the threat of the Pumas, the XV of Fabien Galthié had the merit of not crumbling, then of widening a sufficient gap by a second try from Peato Mauvaka (71st).
See also France-Argentina (29-20): the notes of the XV of France
Another negative: the Blues messed up their end of the match (78th), with a new try taken in the last moments, yet one of the axes of work of the tricolor staff these last two weeks in Marcoussis.
On that, but also on the rest, there is still work to be done before rubbing shoulders with the All Blacks in the same place in two weeks.
The match sheet
FRANCE-ARGENTINA: 29-20
Half-time: 9-7.
Referee:
M. O'Keeffe (NZL).
France:
tests by Flament (50th), Mauvaka (71st);
Jaminet penalties (3rd, 19th, 35th, 65th, 80th);
transformation of Jaminet (50th, 71st).
Argentina:
tests by Cubelli (22nd), M. Carreras (78th);
penalty from Boffelli (48th);
transformation of Boffelli (22nd, 60th) and Sanchez (78th).
Temporary expulsions:
Marchand (28th) for France;
Kremer (28th) for Argentina.
France
: Jaminet - Penaud, Fickou, Ntamack (Danty, 54th), Villière - (o) Jalibert, (m) Dupont (cap.) - Woki, Jelonch, Cros (Mauvaka, 29th, Cros, 40th, Alldritt, 57th) - Willemse (Taofifenua, 52nd), Flament (Macalou, 70th) - Haouas (Bamba, 52nd), Marchand (Mauvaka, 63rd), Baille (Gros, 63rd).
Argentina:
Boffelli - Delguy (Sanchez, 63rd), Moroni, De la Fuente, M. Carreras - (o) S. Carreras (Cinti, 76th), (m) Cubelli (Bertranou, 77th) - Kremer, Isa, Matera (Gonzalez 17th, Matera, 20th) - Lavanini (Paulos, 74th), Petti (Gonzalez, 63rd) - Gomez Kodela (Medrano, 55th), Montoya (cap.) (Bosch, 68th), Gallo (Martinez, 68th).
