In a kilt in the stands of the Murrayfield stadium, a Scottish fan sums up the general feeling of the enclosure, while on the pitch, the French congratulate each other, a little incredulous. “It’s an absolute hold-up!” » Dominated and led until ten minutes from the siren, the XV of France won against Scotland, Saturday February 10 (20-16), during the second day of the Six Nations Tournament. On the wire, like the one on which the fate of Fabien Galthié’s men swung, well beyond normal time, while the referee and his video assistant dissected a final Scottish action. Test or not?
For the stadium, the matter was settled: the Chardon XV deserved to win against the Pale Blues. But due to the lack of an image capable of distinguishing between a tangle of arms, legs, feet and torsos, the Australian Nic Berry decided to stick to his initial decision to refuse the test. “It’s really good, for the suspense and the audience, to watch the video for four minutes like thatsmiled a relieved Fabien Galthié at a press conference. And in the end, we are happy. »
Bend down and win “ugly”
During these minutes that the French say they found “a bit long”Posolo Tuilagi was close to the action. “I had my hand under the ball, so I was sure there was no try. But it’s the referee who decides, so it’s stressful”blew away the powerful second line from Perpignan, decisive for his second cape in Blues.
It was therefore a close call, but the XV of France won in Edinburgh, and interrupted its emerging series of defeats – after South Africa, in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, and Ireland on the 3rd. FEBRUARY. “Within three fingers, the match and the fate are differentunderlined winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey. We go from a complicated victory to a third defeat in a row. » And potentially a crisis situation for the XV of France, which had not experienced such headwinds since Fabien Galthié led it.
For the caviar, we’ll come back. Captain Gregory Alldritt’s teammates did not erase in one afternoon all the doubts born from their sinking, in Marseille, against Ireland (17-38) and the elimination from the World Cup against the Springboks (28- 29). But when the storm blows, like the gusts that swept the Scottish coast on Friday, you have to make do with the essentials. “When you win in Scotland, you know, the content… Given the context and the level of Scotland, it’s perfectevacuated Fabien Galthié. We are not here to demonstrate, but to win matches. » And you have to know how to bend your back and win “ugly”.
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