That was twenty-one years and two days ago.
On November 18, 2000, in a bullfight atmosphere, the XV of France's lap of honor before the match (a crazy idea of Fabien Galthié, then captain) to break the thermometer of the Marseille Velodrome even before the kick-off, the XV of France dominated the All Blacks 42 to 33. Why talk about it again today?
Because this is quite simply the last time the Blues beat the men in black on French soil!
Since?
Two wins - one in Cardiff in 2007, another in Dunedin in 2009 - a draw and… 22 losses.
To read also
XV of France: how to beat (finally) the All Blacks
The supporters could therefore have kept a low profile at the time of this reunion - the first since 2018, the last before the telluric opening match of the 2023 World Cup in France -;
sulking the temple of Saint-Denis so as not to relive the same nightmare;
prefer to sit in front of a television series than to be depressed in front of France 2 (kick off at 9 p.m.).
On the contrary, the Stade de France sold in record time its 80,000 seats, the public channel expects a feverish audience and fans of the oval balloon expose their optimism, prognosis, blues, the end of the black series, the Blues remaining on fourteen consecutive losses against the masters of the oval planet.
"The ideal match"
These supporters nourish this exaltation by, as they choose, the phenomenon Antoine Dupont, capable on his own of turning the course of history upside down; by a new state of mind for players who are once again indomitable and proud; in the name of a coach who knows personally how to become a hero (he was also at the helm in 1999, during the legendary semi-final against the All Blacks), who does not neglect any detail, fills his plans surrounded by a staff of recognized experts.
To be sure, there are more valid reasons for hope this fall than in the entire previous decade, a long procession of calamitous setbacks and shameful routs.
The Blues are indeed recovering the hair of the beast exit after exit.
From there to being already strong enough to beat New Zealand?
We hope so, we want to believe it, without however pledging his retirement savings plan on the certainty of an achievement.
Because, opposite, the All Blacks obviously have more certainties.
And a motivation increased tenfold by the slap received in Dublin a week ago (29-20).
Turning the other cheek is not in the habit of heirs to the silver fern.
Read also
France-All Blacks: Antoine Dupont against Aaron Smith, duel at very high altitude
If we stay in the last decade, they have conceded two defeats in a row only twice.
“
We are all keen to end this tour very, very strongly.
A match, against France, at the Stade de France, against an exciting young team which is developing well, it's the ideal match to give us the opportunity to respond to what happened last Saturday
”, thus balanced the New Zealand coach Ian Foster.
"
We heard it
", slipped Fabien Galthié, without saying more.
But his pout, oscillating between annoyance and defiance meant a lot.
What if he held there, in these few over-confident words, the spring he needed to stretch his team and propel it towards the irrational?
