In what state of mind do you find
the XV of France
?
Cameron Woki
:
The same as when I left him.
I am very happy to be here, to be able to wear this shirt.
And be able to win the matches.
I'm quite happy to be here.
Have things changed?
No, nothing has changed.
Always the same goals, always the same desire.
It's quite positive.
And the atmosphere remains the same.
We are still such a close-knit group, a group that gets along well and laughs a lot.
This helps us to prepare well for matches.
We've been together for 15 days, last week we worked very well.
It was very hard and intense.
We were happy to meet again.
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How do you judge your start to the season with Racing 92? Do you feel like you can still improve?
I can always improve, I think.
So here it is...
We still had trouble recognizing you during several matches...
I'm adapting.
I'm adapting to my new club.
It will come.
I just ask to be patient.
Was it a risk to
change clubs one year before the World Cup
?
No, it was my decision to change clubs.
It was a desire on my part to change club.
It's up to me to adapt and be better.
Nothing to do with my change of club.
It's just me and myself.
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How do you apprehend this first match against
Australia
?
It's a hell of a warm-up.
I had the chance to do the tour in Australia (in 2021).
A tour that was very hard.
The results were very close.
We don't have a lot of wins against Australia, it's going to be a great game.
It should not be neglected.
There will be a lot of fighting, with very tall, very strong forwards.
There won't be many differences compared to the matches two years ago.
“We are the bases, our series of victories which allow us to be mentally strong”
What did you learn from Australia's narrow victory over Scotland (15-16) last weekend?
Between the 60th and 80th minute, it's a team that sets a lot of pace, that doesn't let go at the end of matches.
We will have to stay applied until the last minute.
Australia is a team that is strong thanks to its forwards.
They are still looking for the penalty, even if they have a penalty at 20 meters, they will not take the points but the penalty.
It's part of their game.
France is on a series of ten straight wins. Have you changed status?
It creates a different status, but we respect all the teams we will face.
Above all, we must remain humble.
We know it will be difficult against Australia, we stay in our place.
Is France already ready for the World Cup?
I don't know... All the players are motivated if the World Cup takes place tomorrow.
We have bases, our series of victories which allow us to be mentally strong and to have a certain safety.
But we must always progress, we are happy to have these matches before the World Cup which will help us to arrive as ready as possible for this World Cup.
“We changed a lot of things.
We'll see if it works."
Do you assume this label of favorites?
Of course, you have to accept it.
We have this label and we want to keep it.
To keep it, you simply have to win matches.
(…) We also learn from our defeats, I hope that will not happen to us.
There are always things to fix and tweak.
Where is your room for improvement?
The room for improvement depends on our opponents.
Today, we changed our game for this tour.
We changed a lot of things.
We'll see if it works.
We will see on Saturday evening if there are things to improve.
Either way, there will always be...
“I learned to love this second line position”
You have been playing in the second line for several matches. Did you get used to it easily?
I still enjoy playing this position.
I learned to love this post.
I had started playing it during the tour in Australia.
As the matches progress, I make my mark on the second row.
I'm starting to like this post.
Afterwards, I can also play in the third line which is my basic position.
I don't have any problems playing multiple positions.
Is the biggest difference in the scrum?
It was above all the sequence of tasks between the scrum and the replacement.
In the scrum, I managed to find my rhythm.
It was physical and mental work.
My first matches, I mainly mentally prepared myself to play second row.
I apply another rugby.
It is especially mentally that I have evolved.
“Charles Ollivon will take care of the offensive touch and I will take care of the defensive touch”
Paul Willemse is uncertain, you could be associated with Thibaud Flament. How is your deal going?
We look a bit alike.
But that won't be a problem.
Australia also have very tall players.
You were line captain when Charles Ollivon was away. How is your cohabitation going now that he is back?
We talked about it with Karim (Ghezal, touch coach) and Charles to designate our roles at the touch level.
Charles will take care of the offensive touch and I will take care of the defensive touch.
We know that during the match, with the state of fatigue, the pressure and the emotions, we can lose our heads a little.
Charles will support me and I will support him during the match.
How did you find Charles Ollivon on his return?
Good, as I had left.
Always so hardworking, always so diligent.
He is a great leader in our group.
I'm very happy to be able to play with him again, because I hadn't been part of the tour in Japan.
He is a very important player, who does us a lot of good.
He will move us forward.