It was written that this revenge, a year after the triumphant feat of the Blues in the semi-finals of the World Cup, would switch to the irrational.
For the first time in its history, the XV of France will play in Marseille.
In a Vélodrome stadium full to the hangers.
Filled with a fervor that has been rising for a few days already in the Marseille city.
This Saturday, the men's bus of Bernard Laporte is caught in traffic jams, multiplies the referral errors.
It is certain, they will arrive at the stadium late.
Then the players start to change and get strapped between the seats.
Through the windows, they see the crowd of supporters who are already cheering them on.
The lap of honor ... before kick-off!
The adrenaline rises. The tension of those wasted minutes. The excitement of the supporters. The fear of the adversary. It boils in the heads. Fabien Galthié then has a completely crazy idea. The warm-up time is now reduced to a minimum, the Blues will be content with a gallop. But not just any. A lap of honor before the match!
The public, initially banned, quickly understands what it is all about. And it is in a deafening din, a series of Marseillaise and cheers, that the eternal heroes of 1999 - Galthié, Lamaison, Garbajosa, Dourthe, Bernat-Salles for three quarters, de Villiers, Pelous, Magne and Juillet for the forwards, completed, in the starting XV, by Marconnet, Landreau, Auradou, Moni, Comba (the warriors of the Stade Français) and Sadourny -, enter the changing rooms as never before. Fabien Galthié harangues them. The tenor of his speech? “
Now that you have made the lap of honor, you are no longer allowed to lose!
"
The madness is already there.
The stadium is in fusion, the Blues in a daze.
For a dizzying whirlwind.
2nd minute.
Individual achievement and essay by Xavier Garbajosa.
7th minute, magnificent collective movement concluded by Olivier Magne.
A penalty from Titou Lamaison and the XV of France leads 17-0 while the match has only started for ten minutes.
Obviously, the Vélodrome capsizes with happiness and pride.
Incandescent.
Captain of the Blues that evening, Fabien Galthié is now the coach of the XV of France.
Panoramic
But the All Blacks are not sinking.
Better still, they raise their heads, revolt.
Marshall (13th), Howlett (33rd), Slater (40th) flatten out in turn in the promised land.
Fortunately Lamaison holds the house at the foot (he will complete a new faultless: 5 penalties, 3 transformations) to allow the XV of France to reach the break in front of nothing in the score: 26-24.
Titou Lamaison once again plays the executioner of New Zealand hearts ...
Two penalties from Mehrtens allow shortly after the men in black to take the advantage (26-30).
The match is more uncertain than ever.
Shortly after the hour mark, the captain shows the way.
Fabien Galthié try to get back in front (33-30, 63rd minute).
And as Titou Lamaison once again wants to play the executioner of New Zealand hearts ...
Titou Lamaison, author of 27 points, 100% success.
Panoramic
The opener slams a drop, then a penalty, then a second drop.
27 points to his personal counter.
The French, reinvigorated by the Marseillaises who fall from the stands, tackle with all their might.
The All Blacks will no longer cross the goal line.
Final success 42-33.
“
We were not fifteen in the field, but 60,000!
», Will thank Fabien Pelous at the end of this new triumph.
Nobody suspects it then: it will be the last for the Blues at home against New Zealand.
Read alsoThe XV of France must quickly chase his dark thoughts
Since then, the XV of France has signed a new feat (18-20) in the quarter-finals of the 2007 World Cup. In Cardiff.
Won (22-27) in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 2009. But on his land, nothing.
A draw, 20-20, at the Stade de France in November 2002. Then seven defeats, in Saint-Denis (5 times, including the last, stinging 18-38, four years ago), in Lyon (3-47 in 2006) and in… Marseille (12-39 in 2009).
For an ongoing series, since the feat of Dunedin, fourteen consecutive losses against the All Blacks.
On an average score of 32 to 12.
The composition of the XV of France
: Sadourny - Bernat-Salles, Comba, Dourthe, Garbajosa - Lamaison, Galthié (Carbonneau 72nd) - Juillet, Magne, Moni (Betsen 70th) - Pelous, Auradou (Brouzet 52nd) - de Villiers, Landreau ( Azam 80th), Marconnet (Califano 52nd).
The composition of the All Blacks
: Cullen - Howlett, Umaga, Gibson, Reihana - Mehrtens, Marshall - Robertson, Cribb, Thorne - Maxwell, Blackadder - Somerville, Oliver, Feek.
The match can be found below in its entirety:
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