Almost the same and we start again?
To bounce back after the correction suffered last Friday in Marseille against Ireland (38-17 defeat), Fabien Galthié chose to largely trust the same group, with only two changes, the returns of winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey and second row Cameron Woki in the starting XV which will face Scotland, Saturday at 3:15 p.m., for the 2nd day of the Six Nations Tournament.
The coach explained this Thursday at a press conference in Marcoussis.
He also returned to the defeat at the Vélodrome.
Was the dressing room marked after the defeat against Ireland and what did you say to yourself this week?
FABIEN GALTHIÉ.
We are competitors and we want to win every game.
We lost this match, we fell, we were beaten.
In the locker room, it was not the time for analysis, it was the time for solidarity.
In these moments, we rely on the values of our sport, the notion of a group.
This was also the case on Sunday.
Then we spoke with the leaders, then with the players.
We took the time to share our emotions, our feelings.
And from Monday, when we looked ahead to Saturday, it was a great happiness, a great joy, to work again on the analysis, of what did not work, at 14 against 15 I remind you.
And to appeal to this notion of group, of trust.
The players must feel our confidence, and we must also feel their confidence.
By always being demanding and critical of ourselves.
This work is collective, focused on one thing, bringing back the French team.
Does the message still get through to the players?
The notion of leadership is our first circle with the staff.
Then it’s the leaders.
Then the group.
Beyond the discourse, it is a method, a mission that drives us.
Be even stronger, more powerful.
Values give us even more strength.
It is in difficulty that we find resources.
Our path is not a long, quiet river.
Today we are facing difficult times.
I repeat, it is a pleasure to speak with my staff.
The animation of the game on Friday was not up to par…
It's especially the score that doesn't satisfy us.
A match when it is missed or lost, the more you watch it the more it is missed and lost.
It's like that.
We want to switch to another match that we want to be more successful.
Dispossession does not really pose a problem in this match.
We had a lot to manage when it came to conquering and regaining the ball before launching into a strategy.
Was there the temptation to start youngsters against Scotland?
Posolo Tuilagi, we called him the day before the match.
He had not participated in the specific work of scrums and touches.
He was called to replace Romain Taofifenua who was suffering from an infection.
He was thrown into the Vélodrome stadium in a difficult context.
He had a very, very good comeback.
Le Garrec was a finisher.
He had a very, very good comeback.
He’s making the position his own, he’s been there with us for two years in Japan.
Bringing players in means bringing them out.
We performed at times as a group, we also lost as a group.
The idea is to keep this framework and give young people their place in coaching and on injuries.
Does the return of Louis Bielle-Biarrey in place of Yoram Moefana mean a return to “running intensity” and more than “the fought intensity” mentioned against Ireland?
These choices are made at the start of the match, but let's not forget that the match sheet is 23 players.
Those who win the match are often the finishers.
Being a finisher does not mean being relegated.
It's an additional responsibility.
Louis brings speed, more than Yoram (Moefana).
Louis also covers the full-back position, and Thomas Ramos that of fly-half.
Yoram covers 4 positions, which is an advantage.
On a big pitch like Murrayfield, with a 14m in-goal, that's where the balls go the fastest.
We will need additional power, on the winger or center position depending on the scenario of the match.
Yoram will bring us his whole palette.
Also read: XV of France: how the Galthié-Ibanez tandem ended up being shattered
With the return of Cameron Woki, who will be the side captain?
Leadership of the sideline is shared between Charles (Ollivon) and Cameron.
Cameron contributed a lot towards the end of the match against Ireland.
In our ultra-short preparation, it is difficult to integrate a new player, we had to move quickly with Paul Gabrillagues.
There are players who have had a lot of experience with us like Romain Taofifenua (injured) and Paul Willemse (suspended) and who are not there.
We spent a lot of energy on rehabilitation and we missed it elsewhere.