Storm under the skulls. While strong winds hit this Sunday morning in the Welsh capital after the success of the Blues (23-27), the staff of the XV of France took the time to learn from a meeting. Even if they refuse to speak of rebirth, general manager Raphaël Ibanez and coach Fabien Galthié know that the victory of Captain Charles Ollivon’s teammates marks the beginning of a promising adventure. The little music of the Grand Slam is also starting to reach their ears but the two men want to continue on the path that led their men to success. “We are under construction,” they recall.
What are your feelings after the victory?
RAPHAEL IBANEZ. This morning (Sunday), obviously we are carried by the energy displayed by the players. We will have to continue, maintain this dynamic. On our side, we must have clear ideas. What does it mean ? To plan for the next match in Scotland, a necessarily different match. It also means being able to find a balance between living environment, play and above all having in mind that we are going to train hard.
The Grand Slam, you think about it? Or is it taboo?
FABIEN GALTHIE. It’s true that we hear about it. We just plan on sequences. There, place to recovery. We would like to focus on our procedure which allows us to continue today. We live well day by day. It is also good to take advantage of these moments as intensely as possible. In the France team, these are very short moments.
Is there not a risk of being intoxicated?
R.I. No, what is interesting on the course after only 11 training sessions and 3 games is that this team is not waterproof. We want her to embody something. It is a deep wish that people tell themselves that there is a beginning and that this selection becomes a team. In Cardiff, on the lawn at the final whistle (Editor’s note: a small scuffle took place at the end of the match), I found the reaction of the top guys. They said to the Welsh: ok you lost stop now. “
F. G. Among our five themes on which we work there is that of the management of the competition. This is a subject that we will discuss.
Does the term renaissance annoy you?
F. G. Before it was before. We have lived for thirty years inside or alongside the French team. We decided to write history, to take care of ourselves and to assume and be responsible for what we live. The players take over on the field. We support them and they take over from this collective dynamic.
R.I. The term rebirth is pejorative compared to previous generations. There is a kind of carelessness in this team. The Cardiff match erased ten years of collective frustration.
Some small reviews were starting to appear in the Top 14 …
F.G. We all hear what is said in our microcosm, our ecosystem. Most of the time we agree. These are positive and negative echoes. We often share them but we are under construction. We just want to win matches. We will not master everything. There we were expected on the sidelines and the fray. We replied. We had delicate fights to fight with 20 year olds!
R.I. It suits us well. The France team belongs to everyone. Our community has the right to express itself and the main thing is that this team does not leave indifferent.