He arrives in the Groupama Stadium auditorium, finishing his post-match snack and leaning on his cell phone to respond to messages.
In a corner, the Raid police officer who accompanies him watches Fabien Galthié stand behind the microphone and begin to answer questions from the media.
His French XV has just won a thrilling Crunch down to the wire (33-31), and secured second place in the Six Nations Tournament.
The Blues coach launches into a long story.
Retrace this match, where he and his men “went through all the moods”.
“Explaining is difficult.
Telling it is possible,” slips the French coach before describing this first period dominated without really widening the gap, this nightmarish 21-0 suffered astride half-time, this return to the lead thanks to two tests.
And this final penalty from Thomas Ramos to win this match in the last moments (80th).
“I went down to the edge of the pitch, I didn’t want to miss it.
Like the one at the end against Italy (missed by Paolo Garbisi).
I couldn't do much else, he laughs.
Maxime Lucu was keen to bang her.
But Thomas said:
This one is for me.
He was boiling.
He didn't tremble.
» A narrow victory, five months almost to the day after an extremely narrow defeat (28-29) against South Africa in the quarter-final of the World Cup at home.
The context has nothing to do with it, but the scenarios have similarities.
“We almost apologized for welcoming the new ones in these conditions”
" Exactly.
Exactly.
Exactly, he repeats to the colleague who starts him off on this parallel.
If you hadn't talked about it, I wouldn't have talked about it.
But in the end, we win.
This is the rest of our story.
In this victory, there is learning from what happened a few months ago.
»
There are also these newcomers, these Meafou, Barré and Le Garrec or Depoortere, bombarded as starters in Cardiff after the distressing draw against Italy (13-13) and lined up again against the English on Saturday.
“We almost apologized for welcoming the newcomers in these conditions,” he smiles.
Welcome to the storm.
It was one hell of a Tournament, literally and figuratively.
It was hot.
We were on the verge.
Sometimes on the summit.
Sometimes on the edge.
»
Read alsoFrance - England (33-31): Le Garrec as a dynamiter, Barré and Ramos decisive… The notes of the Blues
At his side, his captain Grégory Alldritt suppresses a smile as best he can while listening to this lyrical flight.
The third row is then approached by Fabien Galthié when the latter, mischievous, asks him a question which does not inspire him.
The coach is ironic, recalling with a smile these matches at the start of the competition which went to fourteen depending on the cards received by his men.
“Having a tournament with fifteen people is better,” he breathes.
The two men then leave the stage of Groupama Stadium.
Fabien Galthié rushes through the corridors of the usual OL enclosure.
In the shoes of a coach who was hot, but who managed to end this Tournament on a good note.