Au Stade de Marseille, « j’ai l’impression que le terrain tremble un peu… »
Le tout premier match du XV de France au Stade de Marseille remonte au 18 novembre 2000. Le rugby international posait ses crampons pour la première fois. Une nouvelle ère lancée sur une victoire française 42-33 contre la Nouvelle-Zélande.
Fabien Galthié, actuel sélectionneur des Bleus, s’en souvient très bien : « En 2000, on devait jouer contre les All Blacks et on était logés à Aix-en-Provence. Pour nous, le Vélodrome était le stade mythique du foot. On arrive et on se perd. Le bus ne trouve pas le stade. Et finalement, on arrive seulement une demi-heure avant le coup d’envoi.
« On descend et on tombe dans une convention de la Société Générale. Ils étaient contents, mais il ne restait plus qu’une demi-heure. On s’est changés dans le bus et on est rentrés dans les vestiaires un quart d’heure avant le coup d’envoi. Et comme on n’avait plus le temps de s’échauffer, on a décidé de faire le tour du terrain doucement. Il y avait une telle ferveur qu’on a juste fait un tour et on était chauds. Au bout d’un quart d’heure, on menait 17-0. »
Des victoires, il y en aura dix autres dont encore une contre les All Blacks, deux contre l’Australie, deux contre l’Afrique du Sud et deux contre l’Angleterre. Deux ombres à ce tableau pendant ce laps de temps avec deux défaites contre l’Argentine en 2004 puis contre la Nouvelle-Zélande en 2009.
Le dernier match disputé au Stade de Marseille est encore frais dans les têtes. « J’ai des souvenirs très mitigés », confirme le capitaine Antoine Dupont qui avait écopé d’un carton rouge. C’était le 12 novembre 2022 et les Français battaient les champions du monde sud-africains 30-26 au bout du suspense, la première victoire contre les Springboks en huit rencontres. Uini Atonio et Thibaud Flament étaient sortis sur commotion au cours d’une confrontation âpre.
« Ce match, c’était un peu les montagnes russes », n’oublie pas le pilier Cyril Baille. « Je m’étais fait mal en début de match, j’ai continué et je suis sorti. J’avais marqué l’essai et après j’étais sorti.
« On avait gagné le match, c’était une soirée assez mouvementée. Ça reste un joli souvenir, avec une grosse ambiance. On sait qu’on est portés par les supporters dans ce stade. C’était une grande soirée malgré ma blessure. »
Charles Ollivon aussi en garde un souvenir ému, se rappelant l’incroyable ambiance qui régnait dans l’enceinte.
« J’ai le souvenir d’une pénalité de Kolbe, on se regardait sur le terrain et on ne comprenait pas ce qu’il se passait tellement il y avait de bruit : on ne s’entendait pas. Ce sont des choses qui marquent », se rappelle-t-il.
« À chaque fois ce sont des matchs incroyables. L’ambiance reste dans ce chaudron. Le bruit reste, les émotions restent, le ressenti reste. J’ai l’impression que le terrain tremble un peu. C’est quelque chose de très plaisant pour nous. Les spectateurs aussi se régalent à venir voir des matchs ici, que ce soit de foot ou de rugby. C’est excitant de pouvoir venir jouer dans cette enceinte, on aura à cœur de faire un bon match pour pouvoir vibrer. Quand on joue dans des ambiances comme ça, il y a toujours un petit plus. C’est fort de jouer dans des stades comme ça. C’est pour ça que ça plaît aux joueurs en général. »
Le match de la poule A opposant la France à la Namibie jeudi 21 septembre se jouera à guichets fermés. De quoi, encore une fois, vivre un moment unique. La Namibie n’a plus joué depuis 2007 à Marseille, où elle s’était inclinée 63-3 contre l’Argentine en Coupe du Monde de Rugby. Elle aura à cœur d’inscrire son premier essai dans ce stade.
Il s’agit du troisième des six matchs prévus dans la compétition au Stade de Marseille. Jusqu’ici, le public n’a eu droit qu’à trois essais inscrits dans cette enceinte. L’Afrique du Sud y affrontera les Tonga le 1er octobre. Deux quarts de finale sont également prévus au programme.
Comments on RugbyPass
Fox News, Tucker Carlson, Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan? Yikes.
1 Go to commentsThat is harsh though. Messi has/had a reputation for trying to keep his feet and keep dribbling for goal. Many of his brethren were the histrionic divers but not him.
2 Go to commentsMcReight is certainly one of the first picked. He’s going to be the glue, a Wallaby with some rugby IQ and the everywhere man for the Wallabies.
5 Go to commentsSophie De Goede is one of the best players we’ve ever produced. Kicked all the points, 2 try assists, line out takes, carries, tackles, charge downs… what a player
1 Go to commentsThe guy had just beasted himself in a scrum and the blood hadn't yet returned to his head when he was pushed into a team mate. He took his weight off his left foot precisely at the moment he was shoved and dropped to the floor when seemingly trying to avoid stepping on Hyron Andrews’ foot. I don't think he was trying to milk a penalty, I think he was knackered but still switched on enough to avoid planting 120kgs on the dorsum of his second row’s foot. To effectively “police” such incidents with a (noble) view to eradicating play acting in rugby, yet more video would need to be reviewed in real time, which is not in the interest of the game as a sporting spectacle. I would far rather see Farrell penalised for interfering with the refereeing of the game. Perhaps he was right to be frustrated, he was much closer to the action than the only camera angle I've seen, however his vocal objection to Rodd’s falling over doesn't legitimately fall into the captain's role as the mouthpiece of his team - he should have kept his frustration to himself, that's one of the pillars of rugby union. I appreciate that he was within his rights to communicate with the referee as captain but he didn't do this, he moaned and attempted to sway the decision by directing his complaint to the player rather than the ref. Rugby needs to look closely at the message it wants to send to young players and amateur grassroots rugby. The best way to do this would be to apply the laws as they are written and edit them where the written laws no longer apply. If this means deleting laws such as ‘the put in to the scrum must be straight”, so be it. Likewise, if it is no longer necessary to respect the referee’s decision without questioning it or pre-emptively attempting to sway it (including by diving or by shouting and gesticulating) then this behaviour should be embraced (and commercialised). Otherwise any reference to respecting the referee should be deleted from the laws. You have to start somewhere to maintain the values of rugby and the best place to start would be giving a penalty and a warning against the offending player, followed by a yellow card the next time. People like Farrell would rapidly learn to keep quiet and let their skills do the talking.
1 Go to commentsThe name “Kwagga” came to mind while I was reading this. And there’s another Sevens convert roaming the wide open kant at the Lions now - JC Pretorius. Keep an eye on him.
5 Go to comments2024 Rugby Championship: Sat, 10 Aug 2024 – Sat, 28 Sept 2024. Looking forward to watching the All Blacks coached by Scott Robertson, with or without the ‘dynamic’ qualities of Shannon Michael Frizell - see his display against South Africa at Go Media Mount Smart Stadium on July 15.
1 Go to commentsI agree about 8 being too many The English premiership has top four only Top 14 has six URC has 8 I think 6 would be fine It gives those other two teams an incentive But rewarding a team in perhaps 8th with three wins is atrocious If they get in they know they only need one big game
7 Go to commentsInteresting article. I think the answer lies in a comment Kwagga Smith made during the World Cup. Asked whether it bothers him that the Bok team doesn’t get more credit he said: “We don’t play for people to respect us: we play for each other and we play for South Africa.” The Springbok team is a brotherhood - an incredibly tight unit, most of whom are good friends off the pitch as well. Not only do they not want to let South Africa down, but they fight like crazy not to let their teammates down. Not saying they don’t care about their club teammates, but I think the bond shared in the Boks is just much, much deeper. Tough to forge the same sort of bond at a club over a handful of years. That must translate into superior performances for country over club.
33 Go to commentsThere is very little creativity in the 9-10 axis for SA. 10 needs to be solid, put the work in and kick the points. the SA counter is almost always via the edge or a kick through for a winger. When was the last offensive backline score from SA against a top team? Perhaps the ultra physical nature of the SA teams means players they get to hit more stats in those games. Maybe the SA pleyers are perfectly suited to the SA system. In other Words they are not club players gathered to play SA Internationals. They are SA International players adapting to play club.
33 Go to commentsJust what you want your prop doing 😂
2 Go to commentsEveryone needs to have a bit of ball player in them Nick and second phase but forwards and backs are still different coz of where you stick your head most of the time. Pocock and tizzano were 12s right up to the edge of seniors. Pocock was 12 to quades 10 then pocock was at the force At 17 year’s old or so. Hamish Stewart was apparently was a junior 7. Don’t know when he switched but apparently he was crons 10 in the Oz 20s. A mistake too often made is playing a guy like taquele nairavuro at wing instead of as a power 8. On rugby tours we often had a spare 7 playing crash 12 coz the regular 12 stayed home. Often had a spare 7 playing on a wing too.
5 Go to commentsyikes - what a load of crap Gallan. Interesting until after your 1st paragraph, but then again not worth anyone’s time responding to such pointless analysis and of course your dumbass opinions.
33 Go to commentsOutside of their national camp, club teams seem to take a tighter stance on doping. Think that explains it really.
33 Go to commentsThanks Nick Ive always thought that there should be a few more innovative attempts at players moving from backs to forwards and vice versa. Samu was one, as was Jim Williams last century. Cole certainly could run like a back, as can Lonergan from the Brumbies. I think that it’s going to become hard again for hookers though as front rowers seem to be getting bigger and bigger, and the guys have to look after their spines as well as (in Australia) their achilles! I always thought that Folau should have been tried in the lineout…. I think the same for Vunavalu…if he lasts any longer. Movement between positions is much more common in League, mainly because the size requirements between backs and forwards are not as pronounced. Hookers and halfbacks interchanging and second rowers and centres as well. The great Cameron Smith was effectively a hybrid hooker/halfback, being able to play both positions…sometimes it seemed simultaneously! For now, it seems like McReith and before him Hooper are the standouts, though Cale could be anything. John Eals did a few “back” type things mind you, including running and kicking. As for Jones, I don't credit him as anything (in an Australian context) other than a speaker of a million throw away lines, with the occasional one being picked up! Sorry
5 Go to commentsHe's Big in Japan
2 Go to comments“England are set to lose some of their best ever players at the end of the season with the mass departure to France”… Really? Best ever? What a joke of an opening line. The england players leaving for France are… Sinckler, Ludlum, Tuilagi… that’s the list of players England are losing at the end of this season to France. All 3 are fringe players at best these days. Manu is the only one you could fathom debating being one of “their best ever players” and even that debate would be shut down pretty quickly. Pathetic excuse for journalism this. Not grounded in reality.
3 Go to commentsYep. The insanity of the decision of trying to outspend RL for outside backs just looks more and more stupid as time goes on and talented players either bully us into paying overs to keep them (Jorgensen) or simply leave as Uncle Nick comes calling (Nawaqanitawase).
20 Go to commentsInteresting that you pick Amatosero, John. I would agree with your choice. He could well be capped this year at some point. At only 21 years of age, he has a lot of experience at a high level from his time at Clermont. I’m surprised he did not remain there for longer, as last year he was really starting to move, with 14 games, six starts, well up from the previous year, 7 games, only 2 starts. Have liked what is doing with the Waratahs this year. Not an easy situation for any player there, with the poor results.
3 Go to commentsNed me old shinwah, it’s probably not a bad idea to learn how to spell the last names of great All Blacks wingers. (Otherwise we will demean our memories of Grant Bitty, Jonah Lima, Joe Rococo and Doug Howler.)
4 Go to comments