It was a red helmet that saved the Blues.
A twenty-year-old kid who was the only one with juice and who, in a mad sprint (70th), offered the French XV a happy success this Saturday afternoon against the Scots who had long dominated (16-20).
This victory undoubtedly avoids an open crisis but it is not certain that it erases the evil which affects this surprisingly passive team.
So it was much more than a simple ignition delay.
Despite all their good intentions, their beautiful words and their sincere wishes, the Tricolores again let themselves be trampled on from the kick-off.
As if they were no longer as concerned or as if they no longer knew how to go about it.
Fabien Galthié's players, of whom we wonder what the game plan was as the initiatives were poor, therefore looked at the Scots.
The sanction did not drag on.
On a beautiful three-quarter throw towards the right wing, scrum half Ben White emerged in support inside, juggling to receive the pass and flattening on a slide (7-0, 7th).
The tone was set.
The Blues, for their part, remained timid, like a week earlier in Marseille in front of the Irish (17-38 defeat) at the opening of the Tournament.
Apart from some sporadic reactions, they didn't show much in the first half.
A breakthrough from Gaël Fickou (15th) should have had a better outcome if the Racing 92 center had not forgotten the last pass.
Other than that... Just enough to stay in the game.
A scratch from François Cros, a pass from Matthieu Jalibert, and Gaël Fickou, alone on the right wing, went to plant a try which put his team back in the race, by the score of course (13-10, 31st).
This team does not have the flame
At the break, the Tricolores could indeed consider themselves lucky.
Despite the Scottish domination, the yellow card inflicted on Uini Atonio (38th) for a shoulder tackle, the successive scrums five meters from their line, they returned to the locker room on this mark.
When we returned to the pitch, it was mostly safe who can.
Lack of punch, lack of inspiration, clumsiness galore... This team doesn't have the fire.
And it was necessary for it to lose its captain Grégory Alldritt, hit in the left knee in a scratch (50th) for it to finally seem to emerge from its lethargy.
Not long.
One action, one reminder, no more.
Overtaken on all the hot spots, the Blues even offered two strange ground-gaining sessions (64th, 67th), Thomas Ramos at the foot, the others hands on hips while they were behind by the score (16- 10).
But this general grayness was pierced by a flash of lightning.
The fiery legs of Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 20 years old, deceiving the entire Scottish defense with a small kick to follow for himself (70th) gave voice to the many supporters present and air to the XV of France (16-17).
He was joined by another kid, Posolo Tuilagi, 19, who with one hand saved the try in his in-goal on a final charge from the Chardon XV.