Was there a break?
Did Super Dupont hide a dark forest all by himself?
The first steps of the Blues after the failure of the World Cup ended with a good correction.
Carried away by a green tide, they drowned on the shores of the Mediterranean.
And couldn't have started the Tournament worse.
It's not so much the defeat (17-38) that is damaging, but rather the way in which Fabien Galthié's players let their guard down.
Everything happened there.
Incapable of producing an incisive attacking game, waiting when they should have been aggressive, quite clumsy and undisciplined, they have combined everything that their coach hates.
This final before the letter came to an end and these Blues, not up to the task, will now have to save what can be saved, while a perilous trip to Scotland awaits them next Saturday.
Far, very far from the expected reaction after an accident.
Just over a hundred days.
Exactly one hundred and ten.
It passes quickly in the end.
From the Stade de France to the Vélodrome, from Saint-Denis to Marseille, the decibels were not lost along the way.
No ovations either.
Winners or vanquished, after all, it is ahead that we look.
And if this elimination in the quarter-final of the World Cup, on October 15 against South Africa (29-28), could have given the Blues a vengeful character and the little something that they undoubtedly lacked that day- there, it would have been useful for that at least.
Very far from this esprit de corps which was to make them world champions
Fabien Galthié received a standing ovation when he appeared on the giant screen, it was already proof, if there was any doubt, that the Tricolores have not lost their audience.
Their first movement, ball in hand, on Damian Penaud's wing, almost created palpitations.
It took a foot in touch to temper the enthusiasm.
And even.
Even under Irish domination, even at the time of the yellow card of Paul Willemse (9th), for a clearing of the shoulder against the head of pillar Andrew Porter, which could have turned into red after a call from the bunker, the excitement n has not weakened.
The try from scrum half Gibson-Park (16th) could also have chilled the atmosphere... No more.
That of second row Tadhg Beirne, wrong-footing Jonathan Danty before the half-hour mark?
Neither.
And yet, there would have been something.
Because on the pitch, the Blues faded as rarely.
Overwhelmed?
Upgraded?
Absent?
They just got through this first half hour like sated fighters.
Far, very far from this esprit de corps which was to make them world champions.
The bill is heavy, severe, with five attempts conceded
Their awakening came from an affront, a snag.
One more.
Paul Willemse, for the same gesture as previously, ended up receiving a red card, leaving his teammates in a real bind (32nd).
And it was there, when this story seemed to be spinning out very badly, that the XV of France raised its head.
By throwing himself forward like a madman.
By stopping observing, waiting.
The bath water wasn't that fresh.
With penalties, the Blues ended up wearing down the Irish defense despite being outnumbered.
And Damian Penaud, always him, rushing into an interval offered himself a thirty-sixth try.
Only two points behind Serge Blanco's record in the French team jersey.
A converted attempt at the break was already a small victory (10-17), given the appearance of this first period.
The Tricolores trailing on their lawn at half-time, this had never happened under the Fabien Galthié era.
The last time was February 3, 2018 at the Stade de France, by… Ireland (3-9), with a defeat (13-15).
Another era.
This time, the Blues burned way too much energy in their undermanned chase.
And as is often the case in these cases, it was at the end that the bill got tougher.
It is heavy, severe, with five attempts conceded.
Grégory Alldritt, new captain, does not seem to be at the end of his troubles.
When the final whistle blew, the crowd fell silent.
As if he had understood that an evil ghost was tugging at his team.