La France s’en sort bien à Murrayfield
On attendait beaucoup de cette rencontre à la fois pour l’Ecosse (confirmer la victoire étriquée et historique contre le pays de galles à Cardiff) et pour la France (se remettre de l’humiliation de l’Irlande à Marseille).
En difficulté et menée pendant 70 minutes, la France devra son salut à un banc conquérant et à une décision de l’arbitre Nic Berry qui lui permettra d’arracher la victoire à Murrayfield, 16-20.
Menés à la pause
Le match débute sur un rythme intense, avec une défense écossaise bien organisée qui entrave les avancées françaises. Malgré les efforts des Français, la défense adverse reste solide, notamment grâce aux interventions de Darge et Dempsey qui perturbent le jeu français.
Cependant, dès la 7e minute, les Écossais ouvrent le score avec un essai de Ben White, sur une action bien construite amorcée par Van der Merwe et poursuivie par Huw Jones. Malgré la pression défensive de Danty et Bielle-Biarrey, White parvient à aplatir, portant le score à 5-0 en faveur de l’Écosse.
Les Français réagissent rapidement avec une pénalité de Ramos à la 12e minute, ramenant le score à 7-3. Malgré leurs efforts pour prendre l’avantage, les Français se voient maintenus sur la ligne des 22 mètres écossais, incapables de franchir la défense adverse.
La première période est marquée par les pénalités, avec un total de six pour les Français. Cependant, les Écossais maintiennent leur avance grâce à une pénalité de Finn Russell à la 22e minute, portant le score à 10-3.
Malgré la pression constante des Écossais, les Français parviennent à réduire l’écart grâce à un essai de Fickou à la 31e minute, suite à une passe précise de Jalibert. Cet essai permet aux Français de revenir dans le match (13-10).
Cependant, juste avant la pause, les Français sont pénalisés avec un carton jaune pour Uini Atonio à la 38e minute, mettant en difficulté les Bleus. Le choix de sortir l’ailier Bielle-Biarrey pour laisser entrer le pilier Dorian Aldegheri est payant. Le score à la pause reste de 13-10 en faveur de l’Écosse, laissant présager une seconde période tendue et disputée.
Pas de quoi inquiéter Fabien Galthié à la pause, se déclarant « très satisfait de notre première mi-temps. On arrive à rester dans le match. On a très bien défendu notre ligne à 14 ».
Pas d’image claire
Malmenés en touche (Woki), en souffrance sous les ballons hauts (Jalibert), sous pression constante imposant un jeu à une passe, les Bleus (qui jouent en blanc) n’arrivent pas à reprendre le contrôle de la rencontre. La sortie à la 50e du capitaine Greg Alldritt laisse craindre le pire, mais les nouvelles sont vite rassurantes (plaie).
Néanmoins, c’est l’occasion de procéder à plusieurs remplacements stratégiques à la mêlée (Le Garrec) et dans le pack (Roumat, Marchand, Tuilagi, Boudehent). A la 63e, tout le monde est rentré.
Il faudra attendre encore 7 minutes pour que la France prenne enfin le score pour la première fois de la rencontre. Relance sur le côté fermé de Nolan Le Garrec, récupération de Bielle-Biarrey qui passe par-dessus et bat quatre défenseurs avant d’aplatir. La transformation de Ramos redonne de l’espoir (16-17).
La fin de match sera intense. Après une nouvelle pénalité de Ramos (16-20) et alors que la France a la possession, Russell la reprend à dix mètres et remonte. La défense tient bon face au pilonnage des Ecossais qui semblent marquer.
Les mains françaises semblent contrôler le ballon dans l’en-but. L’arbitre Nic Berry consulte les images, mais leur clarté est contestée. Rien ne permet de voir si le ballon écossais a bien touché le sol, au grand dam des supporters. Conforté par l’arbitre vidéo, Nic Berry maintient sa décision initiale, refusant l’essai. Les Français échappent de peu à la défaite à Murrayfield dans une atmosphère tendue.
Comments on RugbyPass
A distinct discomfort with the officiating they were probably selected from the local IRA narcos branch along with the commentators bloody fly tippers.
1 Go to commentsWow, never thought I would read that
1 Go to commentsExcellent match. Great to see Keenan and Ryan back for Leinster. Super result for Ulster. Season is turning around.
1 Go to comments“We need eight or nine new players, who are hard-wearing and durable and experienced Premiership performers”. So why are they scouting a retired fullback who himself admits that his “body is broken”?
1 Go to commentsBrumbies hand, knocked a Crusaders hand. Therefore, knock on in goal. Crusaders, goal line drop out should’ve been awarded. most likely after that 24 each at full time, so extra time would’ve been the right an entertaining outcome. Act Jim
1 Go to commentsSpeell cehck
1 Go to commentsColeman is gaawwwwnnn.
1 Go to commentsnext SA head coach?
3 Go to commentsGreat try by van Poortvliet.
1 Go to commentsThey have been cruelled by injuries but almost nobody (Sevu Reece and Fletcher Newell big exceptions) has played above himself which regularly happened before. Surely Scott Robertson had maintained the recruitment programme and it looks like a reasonable squad. Last in this competition will stall a lot of careers. Penny seems likeable. But it’s not enough even though this was better. We haven’t been good enough and it’s not helped by the “it’s been 15 years since… “etc “after nearly every match. Seems somehow a soft gifting of something once valuable. Kieran Read giving comments last week almost choked describing the easy surrender of possession by the forwards. I’d love to think that the senior players some of whom are back can show enough pride in the jersey to test the Blues next week.
3 Go to commentsWho will Joe select for the back three with so many in form candidates? Just hope he doesn’t get shafted like Dave Rennie and to a lesser extent Deans.
6 Go to commentsAlways reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
3 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
6 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
5 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
5 Go to comments