1
Trois renforts de poids avec France 7 Masculin à Perth
Parti de France le 18 janvier, le groupe France 7 masculin arrivera à Perth, en Australie occidentale, quelques jours après les filles avec un groupe légèrement remanié après les deux premières étapes du HSBC SVNS 2024.
ADVERTISEMENT
Présents à Dubaï et au Cap, ni Paul Leraître (par ailleurs arrière ou ailier du racing 92 qui n’a disputé que deux matchs la saison dernière pour son club), ni Rayan Rebbadj (le trois-quarts centre du RCT, qui avait permis de remporter le premier match du tournoi de Cape Town face aux Fidji), ni Andy Timo (troisième-ligne du Stade Français qui n’a pas encore eu l’occasion de jouer pour son club) ne sont du voyage en Australie.
Ils sont remplacés numériquement par Joris Simon, Esteban Capilla et Thibaud Mazzoleni.
Le retour du meilleur joueur de Sevens français
C’est un grand retour pour Esteban Capilla que l’on n’avait pas vu sur le circuit depuis le 2 avril 2023 et l’étape de Hongkong où la France avait décroché la médaille de bronze en battant la Grande-Bretagne.
Entre-temps, le troisième-ligne de l’Aviron Bayonnais a été sacré champion du monde avec les U20 en Afrique du Sud puis a été élu meilleur joueur de l’In Extenso Supersevens, le tournoi professionnel de rugby à 7 français, à l’occasion de la Nuit du rugby le 20 novembre. Il a beau présenter la plus faible expérience sur le World Series parmi ses coéquipiers, son profil reste incontournable.
Retour également pour l’expérimenté Thibaud Mazzoleni, absent du circuit depuis le 14 mai 2023, étape de Toulouse d’où les Français étaient repartis avec leur troisième médaille de bronze de la saison. Celui qui est depuis devenu papa a participé au stage fondateur de la saison aux Fidji cet automne.
Le Nîmois Joris Simon quant à lui retrouve le circuit pour la première fois depuis le tournoi de Londres, dernière étape de la saison passée où la France avait terminé 5e.
A noter également le retour de Théo Forner, blessé à Dubaï et forfait au Cap, qui avait été remplacé in-extremis par Joachim Trouabal. Les deux joueurs sont à nouveau convoqués.
Une 4e place l’an passé
L’an passé, le circuit mondial s’était arrêté à Hamilton, en Nouvelle-Zélande, pour la troisième étape, puis en Australie à Sydney pour l’étape suivante. Les Français avaient terminé à la 4e place sur chacun des deux tournois.
ADVERTISEMENT
La grosse différence, c’est que, depuis, la France est retombée dans le ventre mou du classement à la 8e position aujourd’hui après un début de saison décevant. Et à Perth, les choses ne devraient pas s’arranger tant la poule C s’annonce difficile avec les Fidji, la Nouvelle-Zélande et les Samoa.
Ce sera la troisième fois que les hommes de Jérôme Daret rencontreront les Fidji (3e) en poule cette saison (deux défaites et une victoire. Et même si ce sera la première fois de la saison contre la Nouvelle-Zélande (4e au classement) et les Samoa (7e), tous les adversaires sont mieux classés que les Français.
FRANCE 7 MASCULIN POUR LE HSBC SVNS PERTH :
- Esteban Capilla (21 ans) – 22 matchs
- Théo Forner (22 ans) – 45 matchs
- Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang (23 ans) – 80 matchs
- William Iraguha (26 ans) – 136 matchs
- Jefferson Lee Joseph (21 ans) – 45 matchs
- Jonathan Laugel (30 ans) – 435 matchs
- Thibaud Mazzoleni (27 ans) – 110 matchs
- Stephen Parez-Edo Martin (29 ans) – 379 matchs
- Varian Pasquet (24 ans) – 92 matchs
- Paulin Riva (29 ans) – 234 matchs
- Jordan Sepho (25 ans) – 94 matchs
- Joris Simon (27 ans) – 33 matchs
- Joachim Trouabal (23 ans) – 56 matchs
- Antoine Zeghdar (24 ans) – 58 matchs
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