Usually, when he speaks in the locker room at the break, Fabien Galthié holds a rather balanced speech.
Not this time.
Noting that his team was in the crosshairs of the English referee, Mr. Carley, who had already whistled 9 penalties against the Blues, the coach raised his voice.
Even swinging several "
You're not listening to me!"
" unequivocal.
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The FFR has published the video of the week which includes this warning (from the 11th minute).
We hear Fabien Galthié predicting what would happen if his players continued to accumulate faults.
“
Do you understand how they play?
They don't go into touch.
They know that the French will make mistakes in the rucks.
The next shot is yellow!
They will continue to play because they know that the next Frenchman will take a caution and we will play at 14. They take us where they want and we follow them.
Before the game, I asked you not to make mistakes in the rucks and you don't listen to me!
You don't listen to me!
»
And to insist on the threat to come.
“
So we are in trouble.
We have a Sword of Damocles and the next foul in a ruck is a yellow card.
If we play backwards, we will get fished.
Unfortunately, this first half looks like what we didn't want.
We have half time left to change the way we play, we're smart!
Think about one thing: the next penalty is a yellow card against us.
So don't attack the rucks!
Don't put your hands in the rucks!
»
Read alsoSix Nations: the XV of France, the first nation in the world if it does not lose in Ireland
A more than relevant analysis.
But the message obviously did not get through.
The Blues received nine additional penalties in the second half.
And Charles Ollivon collected a yellow card for having roughly collapsed an Italian maul.
Morality?
You always have to listen to your coach...