Les critiques de O'Driscoll envers Galthié
Brian O’Driscoll estime que le sélectionneur de l’équipe de France, Fabien Galthié, est « sous pression » après les performances étonnamment médiocres des Bleus lors des trois premières journées du Tournoi des Six Nations.
Les Bleus occupent actuellement la quatrième place du Tournoi avec une seule victoire en trois matchs. Après avoir été à deux doigts de perdre leur premier match à domicile contre l’Italie, dimanche 25 février à Lille, l’ancien capitaine de l’Irlande estime que les Français manquent de confiance.
« A côté de la plaque »
Lors de l’émission Off the Ball qui a débriefé le match nul 13-13 contre l’Italie, Brian O’Driscoll a dressé un bilan cinglant de la France jusqu’à présent dans le Tournoi 2024, s’en prenant à de nombreux joueurs de la ligne arrière ainsi qu’à Galthié lui-même.
« Invisibles », « à côté de la plaque » et « méconnaissable » sont quelques-uns des termes utilisés par l’Irlandais pour décrire les trois-quarts français. Avec le Pays de Galles à Cardiff et l’Angleterre à Lyon à venir pour la fin du Tournoi, O’Driscoll pense que Galthié a des raisons d’être anxieux à l’approche des deux dernières manches.
« Je dirais qu’il est en difficulté, vraiment », a commenté le joueur irlandais aux 133 sélections. « Beaucoup de gens ont dit qu’ils allaient gagner le Grand Chelem, qu’ils allaient rebondir après leur déception (élimination en quart de finale de la Coupe du Monde de Rugby 2023, ndlr).
« L’équipe est en train de s’effondrer »
« La déception a vraiment pesé sur eux. On a l’impression, non pas qu’elle s’est effondrée, mais qu’elle est en train de s’effondrer. La France a été à son meilleur sous Galthié. En particulier en 2022, ils ont joué avec une confiance et une conviction énormes et, oui, il y avait une bonne part d’improvisation, mais on avait l’impression qu’il y avait une certaine forme de structure.
« C’est une équipe qui semble manquer de confiance. (Matthieu) Jalibert s’est blessé, mais on sent qu’ils sont hésitants. Jonathan Danty, que je voyais en joueur du tournoi au début, a été invisible – il s’est pris un carton rouge.
« Avant ça, il avait reçu un carton jaune contre Leinster en Champions Cup, plus tôt dans la saison, pour un geste similaire. Vous ne pouvez plus arriver au contact avec cette vitesse de cette façon.
« Je suis surpris qu’ils soient restés sur leurs acquis. J’étais certain qu’ils intégreraient des joueurs ayant émergé des U20. Un peu comme l’a fait l’Irlande.
« Le Pays de Galles peut les battre »
« Il n’est pas nécessaire de procéder à des changements radicaux, mais de conserver la même ligne arrière que celle qui a participé à la Coupe du monde, alors que d’autres joueurs commencent à se faire remarquer, en particulier (Nicolas) Depoortère, ce trois-quarts centre qui évolue à Bordeaux – un très bon joueur, grand, puissant et polyvalent.
« Je suis vraiment surpris qu’après le premier match en particulier, ils n’aient pas dit : ‘Ok, ce gars-là est un joueur d’avenir’. (Gaël) Fickou est à côté de la plaque, (Louis) Bielle-Biarrey est blessé et (Damian) Penaud est méconnaissable par rapport à ce qu’il fait à Bordeaux.
« Il va manquer (Romain) Ntamack et (Antoine) Dupont, c’est sûr, mais il n’y a pas que ça. On a l’impression qu’il y a quelque chose qui ne va pas.
« Galthié doit être nerveux et tout le monde le dit. Je suis sûr que là-bas, je n’ai pas vu les articles en France, mais ils doivent dire qu’il est sous pression. Parce que maintenant, Jamie Roberts a l’impression que le Pays de Galles peut les battre – et c’est le cas. »
Comments on RugbyPass
‘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
4 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.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
1 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to commentsOne tough SOB!
16 Go to commentsI’ve put on 4/5 kilos since the beginning of the season too. Not good kilos. Bad kilos.
7 Go to commentsSurely there’s a ‘no knobheads’ policy ?
3 Go to commentsWallaroos have no chance of beating the Black Ferns unless Canada upsets them in Christchurch tomorrow but I doubt that as well!
1 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Could the victim do a course to reverse the long term CTE damage from the cheapshot?
2 Go to comments