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Chronique du Tournoi : les Anglaises sont trop fortes
Ce samedi après-midi, le stade Chaban Delmas de Bordeaux accueillait le match France – Angleterre, finale tant attendue du Tournoi des Six Nations féminin. Plus de 28 000 personnes s’étaient réunies au stade pour le Crunch, établissant ainsi un nouveau record pour un match féminin de rugby en France !
Les Anglaises, tenantes du titre depuis 2018 et jamais défaites par les Françaises depuis cette date partaient largement favorites pour ce Crunch et ont fait respecter la hiérarchie.
Un pragmatisme anglais imparable
La première mi-temps tourne vite à l’avantage des joueuses de Marlie Packer puisqu’elles ouvrent la marque dès le 5e minute par Cokayne et enfoncent le clou dix minutes plus tard sur ballon porté (0-14, 13e minute).
Dès lors, les Bleues, obligées de courir après le score, envoient du jeu ! Les Anglaises, peu habituées à ce type d’opposition, subissent et reculent. Pauline Bourdon-Sansus, dans la lignée de son Tournoi 2024, est à l’initiative de toutes les offensives françaises et relance son équipe. Par deux fois en première mi-temps, les Françaises trouvent la faille, d’abord par Vernier (18e) et ensuite par Marine Ménager (27e), à la conclusion d’une magnifique attaque en première main, qui mystifie la défense anglaise.
Face à face
5 dernières rencontres
Victoires
0
Nuls
0
Victoires
5
Moyenne de points marqués
18
27
Le premier essai gagne
60%
L'équipe recevante gagne
20%
Néanmoins, cela n’est pas suffisant pour contrarier les plans anglais, tant les Red Roses semblent sûres de leur force. Chaque incursion dans les 22 mètres français s’avère une occasion d’essai et par trois fois encore, elles franchiront la ligne d’en-but. (25e, 33e, 40e).
Malgré une supériorité dans les duels, les Anglaises ne cherchent pas à jouer. Elles patientent et se montrent chirurgicales proche de la ligne française, avec une efficacité écœurante dans l’exécution de leurs mauls.
A la mi-temps, les Bleues ont encaissé cinq essais, dont trois sur ballons portés, et le score est de 14 à 35.
Le sursaut tricolore
Dès le retour des vestiaires, on craint que celui-ci ne s’alourdisse rapidement puisque les Bleues se retrouvent à 14 contre 15 après le carton rouge de Khalfaoui (45e).
C’est sans compter le cœur énorme des Françaises qui vont mener une deuxième mi-temps de haut vol, contrariant tous les plans anglais.
En infériorité numérique, les joueuses de Gaëlle Mignot et David Ortiz, parviennent à museler leurs adversaires, qui se débarrassent rapidement du ballon au pied. Gabrielle Vernier et Romane Ménager sonnent la révolte en défense tandis que Bourdon-Sansus dynamise chaque action.
Et si les intentions ont changé de camp, les Anglaises affichent une sérénité déconcertante proche de leur ligne. Plusieurs fois acculées dans leur camp, elles avancent sur leurs duels défensifs, à l’instar d’Alex Matthews qui sera élue femme du match, et récupèrent de précieux ballons. Il faut attendre la 70e minute pour que Marine Ménager trouve la solution sur son deuxième essai. (21-35).
La réponse Anglaise ne se fait pas attendre puisque trois minutes plus tard, Matthews conclue un mouvement magnifique, parti du ballon récupéré sur le coup d’envoi (21-42, 73e)
Le réveil Français n’aura pas suffi et le score ne bougera plus : 21-42 en faveur des Anglaises, qui remportent leur sixième Grand Chelem d’affilée.
La bête noire des Bleues
Ce samedi, les Anglaises étaient trop fortes. Sans chercher à produire du jeu, elles ont fait ce qu’il fallait faire pour s’assurer la victoire, concrétisant chacun de leurs moments forts et exploitant chaque erreur française.
Les Bleues n’ont pour autant pas démérité : s’appuyant sur une conquête retrouvée, elles ont fait parler toutes leurs qualités offensives, avec notamment une capacité à faire jouer après contact, avec des soutiens toujours présents.
Malheureusement, il en faut plus pour faire tomber nos meilleures ennemies, qui ont parfaitement maitrisé leur rugby tout au long du Tournoi. Si les Françaises sont capables de produire un jeu rythmé, elles ont souvent manqué d’efficacité et perdu des ballons précieux sur leurs différents matchs. Les Anglaises, quant à elles, forment une machine rôdée, redoutable d’efficacité.
A dix-huit mois de la prochaine Coupe du Monde, ce Tournoi 2024 est riche d’enseignements et ce Crunch nous a prouvé que la défense des Red Roses n’était pas infaillible.
Comments on RugbyPass
Nick, I think your article brings up a couple of issues. Do we stick with a lighter 7 ie M.Hooper V2 or a bigger 7. If Schmidt goes with McRight then I would suggest he should also make him captain, from my observations he does most of the captains job, apart from talking to the ref and he was an outstanding captain in U20’s. The big problem for the Wallabies is the tight 5 and McRight would fit perfectly IF we had a competitive and mobile tight 5. The other point is who are the6 & 8? If he goes with Cale at 8 and Valitini at 6 then that is a very mobile backrow but how good will they be at the breakdown. If he keeps BobbyV at 8 and say Leota at 6 then he might be looking for a stronger pack and McRight may not fit in. It is always a tricky call for smaller forwards with great skills.
56 Go to comments> And to be frank, those are the only four teams that deserve to be in the playoffs. They are the only teams that hold winning records in Super Rugby Pacific 2024. So you agree with the final 8 format then Ben? As of course its purpose is to generate activity towards the end of the season, and as you say, there wouldn’t be any if it was just a final 4 playoff format.
13 Go to commentsThe reason the Rebels are in the position they are, is because Foote is a very poor coach. The Rebels over the last few years have played a nauseatingly boring one dimensional mistake ridden game, occassionaly sprinkled with some brilliance via Carter Gordon and Tim Sampson. You can’t bore supporters in to supporting you. Even if you win some. There is no point to the Rebels if Foote is coaching them. They need someone with some Aussie inspiration and imagination.
2 Go to comments“Against this backdrop of turmoil, the team on the field is playing some excellent rugby.” Are they really? They will probably finish seventh, in the bottom half of the draw. Of their twelve games to date they have lost FIVE by more than 25 points. Think about that for a second: they have been on the wrong end of one-sided thrashings in almost half their games this year. Away in Canberra this weekend it might well become six. They have done all this with a squad it is clear they could not afford. And yet here we are talking about this season being shining proof of their quality if only they are given another chance. It just ain’t so. They’ve played some okay rugby and aren’t terrible, but best case will need to shed some of their better players and probably get worse again next year to have any chance of remaining viable. If they stay the data suggests they’ll be back where they’ve been for years - trying to scrap away for eighth place in a comp that should probably only have a Top 4 or 6 playoff to begin with.
2 Go to commentsSomething fishy is going on here. Earlier this year Dame Patsy Reddy was threatening to step down if the review recommendations didn’t go through now it’s the professional players association going nuclear. It looks like a theft attempt by the executive and the association. Is there a big backer in the shadows? The clubs and by extension the unions own the game in NZ yet they are being told to shut up and have no say in the running of the game they have created and own. Ok let them go and do what they want but they can’t call themselves the ABs or the super or npc sides. At the end of everything this is a sport not a path to enrichment.
2 Go to commentsI would say NB that the 7 who has the skills to play as an extra half is Billy Harmon of the Highlanders. He does everything expected of an openside with ruck, tackle and run but he has a good pass. Robertson might of opted for Christie at the Crusaders moving Harmon on but that allowed him to break out of the Crusaders system and show his full range of skills.
56 Go to commentsHe is right. How do you pick the two? Ospreys and Cardiff?
2 Go to commentsSam like many had passed their use by dates and that is down to the selectors, not the player. I wasn't a Sam fan, but he didn’t deserve Bidwells brutally honest opinion. Could have been more diplomatic.
3 Go to commentsNice piece nick, mcreight is immense. Just like hooper, he seems to be indefatigable and sprint the full 80 from one involvement to the next. Like DuPont, its like they can see an extra phase ahead which means they know where to be before everyone else. His support and link play for mine is his real point of difference, and now he is lifting the other areas up as well. One key improvement is when to jackal or not, he used to go for everything and get pinged or stuck in the ruck. His decision making in this area has really improved. He seems to be quite competitive, and like faz not afraid to chew out a teammate. If he went down, both the reds and wallabies would be in trouble. I’d lean towards Wright or Wilkin/Gamble I think, I don’t think many of the other candidates have the work rate or ruck presence that is needed of a 7. Interestingly, the reds lineout fell apart on the weekend without faessler, although the maul still functioned. The heat seemed to affect their decision making, I think they needed to adjust to a low possession, simple game plan but they went head strong with a high possession game even though they couldn’t hold onto it, secure their ruck or their set piece…
56 Go to commentsExpecting those provincial fish-heads to vote themselves out of power is like expecting turkeys to vote for Christmas. Good luck with that!
2 Go to commentsA brilliant winger..
1 Go to commentsGood player, but how could anyone have filled RMCs shoes.? Also, I hope Razor implements better & indeed more legal tackling, the AB’s concede way too many cards. Looking forward to the new regime though.
11 Go to commentsGood article, NB. I’ve quite liked the speed and skill levels of Tom Ahern from Munster. I read he was a fullback until late in schools rugby and suddenly shot up to 6 foot 9. Another guy born in 2000 who seems to be able to play out in trams on both sides of the ball is Juan Martin Gonzalez of Saracens. Thanks for the article.
56 Go to commentsShould not even be in the thought to bring Barrett back,the team is going well and remember 2 season ago when the blues were going well & got out thought & out played in the final all Barrett did was needlessly kick away posession again and again, pass to players in worse positions as to avoid contact and for the Blues and AB proved costly in crucial games.
3 Go to commentsBarbarians will be preparing for fiji starting end of this week but fiji will be preparing only 1 week b4 the game…..so unfair
1 Go to commentsI believe it was the Wallaby Nick White who opened the floodgates - earning his team a yellow card against SA and getting Faf binned for 10. Nick White. The original soft pr1ck, diving git. Owen Farrell is growing on me.
2 Go to commentsTo be honest this result was not that seismic as shock, Canada are a very good team and very few teams fear the Black Ferns anymore. The rankings give a good picture, the top four ranked teams are the top four teams in women’s rugby with England ahead the other three can exchange places at any given time. Despite the USA result I still think Australia are ahead of the rest. WXV will show how big the gap is between nations.
9 Go to commentsFarrell playing in France next season better get use to play acting .
3 Go to commentsNot sure I see the magic. Solid flanker but the aggression and lack of bending at the hips leads to boo boos
11 Go to comments100%. Thank you, Andy.
2 Go to comments