La diplomatie de l’omelette ou comment les Bleus ont retrouvé le goût de la victoire
« On s’est fait rouler dessus la semaine dernière et il faut qu’on se révolte », souffle Damian Penaud en recevant son maillot marquant sa 50e sélection à la veille du match contre l’Ecosse. Dans leur hôtel près d’Edimbourg, les Bleus n’attendent qu’une chose : se prouver à eux-mêmes – et par ricochet aux autres – qu’ils valent mieux que les deux dernières défaites de rang contre les deux meilleures nations du monde, l’Afrique du Sud et l’Irlande.
Le staff aura rivalisé de méthode Coué pour tenter de remotiver les troupes, leur redonner la force de gagner, adaptant un ton calme, volontairement positif et constructif, surjouant l’esprit d’équipe et le positivisme – tel Fabien Galthié, très diplomate en conférence de presse lors de l’annonce de la composition. « La préparation de ce match, c’est que du bonheur, c’est que de la joie, c’est que du plaisir », soutient-il en en faisant des tonnes.
« On se concentre à faire des choses simples »
Lorsque la semaine de préparation débute ce lundi 5 février, Galthié prévient ses gars que la première journée sera mentale – « intense psychologiquement en termes de réflexion, d’échanges de participation », explique-t-il – mais qu’à la fin 90% des questions que le groupe peut se poser auront trouvé réponse.
Dès le lendemain, comme le montre l’épisode 7 de la troisième saison de Destins mêlés de la Fédération Française de Rugby, ce sera plus physique. Par un heureux hasard Marcoussis plonge alors dans un climat écossais avec le ciel bas et les nuages chargés. Un temps de préparation idéal.
« Si le temps est pareil ce week-end, la passe en plus, on ne la tente pas. Si on ne la sent pas, on ne la fait pas », annonce Charles Ollivon qui assume son poste de leader avec le capitaine Grégory Alldritt à ses côtés. « On garde, on commence en sudaf’, on porte, on reste bien bas, on avance et après, ça libère derrière. Des choses simples, ok ? Simples. »
Le premier ingrédient de cette révolte tranquille est confirmé par Greg Alldritt dans la foulée. « Quand il faut faire un truc compliqué, on sait le faire », dit-il. « Par contre, il faut qu’on se concentre à faire les choses simples, comme il a dit, Charles. Des choses simples avec beaucoup de vitesse, ok ? Et ensuite les espaces, on va savoir les jouer. Par contre, les premiers rucks, un peu patients, profondeur, vitesse et très simple, ok ? C’est comme ça qu’on va avancer, qu’on va marquer. »
Métaphore culinaire
Simplicité du jeu, retour aux fondamentaux, mais avec précision, vitesse et rigueur. Galthié le répètera après le match : « on n’est pas là pour faire des démonstrations ». Du moment que son équipe gagne, « ça me va ». Même sans flamboyance face à l’Ecosse, « je coche ».
Quelques jours auparavant, à Marcoussis, le staff avait convié deux chefs étoilés à rencontrer les joueurs. Yves Camdeborde, un maître de la bistronomie, cette cuisine française simple mais magnifiée, et le très cathodique Christian Constant, jadis membre du jury de Top Chef. Tout un symbole.
« On nous apprend un truc en cuisine qui est magique, c’est que le geste anodin, inintéressant, il faut l’aimer », explique Camdeborde. « Car quand on arrive à l’aimer, on aimera tout après, c’est-à-dire tout ce qui est difficile, tout ce qui est laborieux, tout ce qui est dur à faire parce qu’il n’y a aucun intérêt intellectuel. Mais on l’aime et derrière, on aimera tout ce qui suit. »
Le parallèle avec le rugby est évident. Camdeborde ne le sait pas, mais il vient de reprendre avec la métaphore culinaire le discours que les leaders ont prononcé quelques heures avant sur le terrain d’honneur de Marcoussis.
La soirée qui suit achèvera de faire passer le message : un concours d’omelettes. Un plat on ne peut plus simple, dans lequel on peut mettre plein de bonnes choses, devant être exécuté avec rigueur, précision et vitesse pour ne pas qu’il finisse à la poubelle, insipide.
Avec ces ingrédients instillés tout au long de la semaine, la recette a pris sur le terrain de Murrayfield samedi 10 février, même si parfois un peu de coquille est resté dans l’omelette finale, laissant un goût inachevé à cette révolte tiédasse.
Une petite victoire (20-16), sans trop être trop rassurante, mais suffisante pour que le sélectionneur s’en émerveille. « C’est une période extraordinaire à vivre parce qu’on gagne ensemble, on perd ensemble et on souffre ensemble. Et notre chemin, ces derniers temps, nous a ramené à l’essentiel de ce jeu. Je vis cette victoire avec une grande joie parce qu’on se construit aussi dans la difficulté », disait-il, sourire béat, en conférence de presse.
Contre l’Italie à Lille le 25 février, il faudrait bien rajouter un peu de parmesan à l’omelette pour lui donner encore plus de goût.
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
1 Go to commentsSurprising how standing down or benching a player can do wonders for their motivation. Several players this week in that category.
1 Go to commentsHaha lads lads lads, that’s how you have a holiday In Majorca
4 Go to commentshit on Lynagh was defo late and card-worthy. The other 2 are bang on OK. Hurts you at Test level if youre timing is off and the nostrils are flared. Jerry C knew when to lean in on one, Finau just needs to keep his discipline and head straight.
5 Go to commentsSlade was exceptional against Gloucester. Not only was he doing the classic Slade stuff of running amazing lines and timing passes to perfection to put his wingers into space, he was kicking goals, flying off the line smashing people and crashing into rucks like a flanker… his hair even looked on point. 😍
1 Go to commentsThat’s really sad, hope everyone involved is ok. At least he had pants on.
4 Go to commentsTo be fair it was nowhere bear the Leinster first team (for which, btw, Leinster copped nothing like the outrage that Jake White did for sending a rotated team to the UK). But it’s fun to watch the Stormers doing their thing. They are attracting big, diverse crowds of young fans, and deservedly so. Great to see.
1 Go to commentsIt might be legal but he’s sailing pretty close to the wind. Not a lot needs to go wrong for Finau to end up in the bin. Was it late? Not quite, but borderline. High? A couple of CM within the laws, no room for error with that one. Did he wrap the arms? There was a token effort to wrap one arm, the intent was clearly to hit with the shoulder. So yeah, it’s legal, just. But as we all know, a very slight change in the dynamics could easily have him seeing red. Hopefully not when it really matters.
5 Go to commentsCan we also show some love for Tane Edmed’s fantastic draw and pass? Put his body on the line and committed the defender before letting go of that pass. Flawless skill.
5 Go to commentsYou forget this is Rassie Erasmus who is still holding the Springbok keys. Even with Felix Jones orchestrating a really tight RWC SF last year. It still wasn't enough to get England past their particular Springbok Monkey in world cups. The reason is FJ was going off of what they did in 2019 not necessarily adapting to current Springboks. So yes, Australia can get passed England because let's be honest, England have a one track strategy, Springboks do not. Even with rush defense I wouldn't be surprised if Rassie continually tweaks it. Also bear in mind Rassie is happy to sacrifice a few mid year and inter World Cup matches to pin point how opposition plays and how to again tweak strategies to get his Springboks in peak performance for the next World Cup. As much as most teams like to win games in front of them and try to win everything, Rassie always makes sure to learn and train for the greatest showdown International Rugby has to offer. Tbh, most people remember World Cup wins and ignore intermediate losses as a result but will remember also WC losses, Ireland, even if they won games in the interim. So even if games are won against the Springboks, it's likely Rassie is just getting a feel for how opposition is moving and adapt accordingly…in time. For Rassie, a loss is never a loss because he uses it as a chance to learn and improve. Sometimes during a game, again like the England match in last year's Semi Final.
7 Go to commentsDanny don't care. He pretends to care but he don't. He says all this stuff to justify his reasoning but no one can claim that legitimately. He knew exactly what he was doing and wondered if his old team mate would overlook it, which he did. Ref has got to be sidelined or properly trained. It's one thing for refs to move up the ranks but if it was me I would require refs to either have played in different clubs or not at all having the temptation to bias in high stakes games like this. This has got to be stamped out. But then again World Rugby is so destroying the game of rugby in an attempt to be more “safe” and “concussion free”. What they are doing is making it more infuriating for the fans and more difficult for the refs to officiate evenly and consistently. It's fast become Australian Rules football. If guys don't want concussions, they should have played chess. Stop complaining you oldies of the game. When they played the game was vastly heavier hitting than it is now but of course they can't see that.
3 Go to commentsJa, why do Bulls get flack for not bringing their best but Leinster never bring their best and it goes “unnoticed”?
4 Go to commentsIt’ll be very interesting to see how Razor’s AB’s handle the new England rush D. It’s basically the Bok recipe they copied, so if England goes well then we know most likely the Boks will go well too. If England cops a hiding then we’ll have to study and adapt.
7 Go to commentsTypical trait of an australian is to moan. Goes well with there lack of humbleness as evident by the Reds bench on the weekend.
5 Go to commentsSBW’s bro’town commentary and lazy default to hyperbole should be ignored, a technical analyst he is not. Sotutu is a good player when games get goosey loosey, high skill set that fans of Zinzan recall with starry eyes. But you need power and mongrel at no8 in the Test arena and Sotutu gets found wanting there, much like Akira Ioane. No8’s like Zinzan and Ardie have bucketloads of mongrel and power and tenacity which allow the skill sets to flourish.
12 Go to commentsAn inside pass to attacker on the angle can make a drift defence look lead footed. Relies on fleet footed forward/s to get across from the breakdown. An argument for the smaller faster 7 perhaps?
7 Go to commentsSensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
5 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
7 Go to comments