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La France termine la Coupe Internationale de Rugby Fauteuil à la 4e place après s’être inclinée 49-50 face au Japon à l’Accor Arena de Paris.
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C’est la première fois que la France place aussi près du podium mondial, après avoir terminé cinquième en 2018 et neuvième en 2014.
Un choc ultra serré
La finale de bronze s’annonçait extrêmement serrée puisque les deux équipes s’étaient séparées deux jours plus tôt sur la plus petite des marges, en faveur des Français (49-50), lors de leur dernier match de la poule B. Cette fois, le seul point d’écart a été en faveur des Japonais.
La France (6e mondiale) avait manqué d’un point sa place en finale face au Canada (51-50) la veille. Sa motivation était d’autant plus grande de bien finir son tournoi face au Japon (3e mondial), vaincu en demi-finales par l’Australie (48-52) après avoir battu la Nouvelle-Zélande (52-36) puis les États-Unis (50-55).
Médaillé de bronze aux Jeux Paralympiques de Rio 2016 et champion du monde en 2018, le Japon affrontait les actuels champions d’Europe, qui s’étaient auparavant inclinés face aux États-Unis (51-53) avant de rebondir face à la Nouvelle-Zélande (46-37).
Au cours de chacune des quatre périodes de huit minutes, France et Japon se sont rendus coup pour coup, l’avance changeant de tête constamment.
Quatre périodes intenses
Très vite menée par le Japon, la France est repassée brièvement devant (5-6) pour la première fois après deux minutes de jeu avant de coller au score. Un essai de Sébastien Verdin sur le gong lui permettait de rallier la fin du premier quart temps sur un score de parité (13-13).
La suite a vu les Français se démarquer, prenant le lead sans plus le lâcher grâce à un pressing défensif constant. La mince avance de deux points maximum s’est maintenue jusque dans les ultimes secondes, où les Français ont une fois égalisé in extremis après une passe de Hivernat à Verdin (25-25).
Pendant le temps d’une possession de balle, les Français ont joué en supériorité numérique à quatre contre trois, mais le Japon a toujours su trouver la solution pour finir le troisième quart temps à 37-37. Ne restaient plus que huit minutes pour départager les équipes.
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Avec détermination, les Français ont su trouver quelques brèches dans la défense japonaise qui campait en permanence sur sa ligne. Pour la première fois depuis le début de la rencontre, un gap de trois points a un temps séparé les deux équipes. Menée de deux points à moins de 20 secondes, la France n’a pu revenir qu’à une longueur (49-50).
« C’est hyper dur de perdre comme ça. On a tenu le match tout le temps. La consigne, c’était que ce soit serré tout le match. On était à +2 à quatre minutes de la fin du temps réglementaire. Ils ont super bien défendu. Ils nous ont agressés. On n’a pas su trouver de solution et ça nous servira pour pendant 10 mois », a indiqué Adrien Chalmin.
« On va regarder ce qui s’est passé, se servir de l’expérience de ce genre de match et arriver meilleurs pour Paris. L’objectif final, c’est Paris 2024. C’est hyper dur de ne pas sortir avec cette médaille de bronze. On ira chercher la médaille à Paris. »
« Quelle ambiance ! C’était incroyable de pouvoir évoluer dans une institution comme celle-ci. C’est très significatif pour nous d’avoir la même considération, de pouvoir promouvoir et créer des émotions. Ça nous galvanise à l’idée de travailler très dur pour aller chercher la meilleure performance possible », ajoutait Jonathan Hivernat, le capitaine.
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« Quand on a ça, on n’a pas le droit de lâcher. On n’a pas lâché tout au long de la compétition. Je suis très fier de mes coéquipiers et de notre performance. »
Comments on RugbyPass
I reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the end Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
1 Go to commentsHaha did he always say it in a sarcastic teacher sort of manor or was it the petulant English snob sort of wail?
42 Go to commentsWell said Mils. It is a big boost at last having Fergus Burke back at 10 for the Crusaders. Had a great season last year as the article says. Mils is also right about captain Codie Taylor’s performance in his return to the Crusaders last week. He was all class.
4 Go to commentsLet’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
122 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
4 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
6 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
122 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
42 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
6 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
122 Go to commentsThis Outiniqua boy has played sublime rugby and deserves a spot in BI LIONS team. Well played son
4 Go to commentsI don’t like to see players miss big matches but this ban looks to be tailored to allow him to compete in the final. In principle a suspension for a very dangerous tackle in a semi should warrant missing the relevant final. Done now. One the flip side having both teams with very strong squads/teams available for the final will add to the occassion hopefully.
1 Go to commentsTalent to burn and a huge engine..hope he gets a shot at higher honours
2 Go to commentsIf anything like his dad he has a bright future, Soane was the best ball carrying props ive ever seen using a combination of pace power and footwork.
1 Go to commentsThose who saw Sharks vs Clermont and Ox N'Che vs Rabah Slimani should have a good idea of the best scrumagers… May be not the best props…
2 Go to commentsIt's been an unusual era of unpopular, highly competitive, domineering, fairly big fly halves in the home nations with Farrell, Sexton and Biggar. Russell is different in personality and player I think. I'd rank Sexton first of the three because he is just as good a game controller but also has a great passing game. And his competitiveness never seems to cause problems with refs.
42 Go to commentsThank goodness he wasn't born in Scotland, he'd have been a great candidate for the Scottish Barbarians. I wouldn't put it past them to push for a “where the player was conceived” rule 😂
2 Go to comments