For this “Crunch” of the last day of the Six Nations Tournament, the Jean-Dauger stadium is sold out. And the Blue will need the support of the public to compete for 80 minutes against the “Red Roses”.
If France win, it will be their seventh title in the competition since the transition to six teams in 2002, their sixth Grand Slam, the first since 2018. And the third time that the French men’s and women’s teams have won the Grand Slam the same year.
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This shock against the English, big favorites of the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand (October 8-November 12) where they will meet the French from the group stages, is therefore more than expected: it is a life-size rehearsal.
“Winning such a competition brings a group together. It would be huge, a nice message before the World Cup, it would give us confidence, ”dreams the third line of Montpellier, Romane Ménager, already present in 2018.
If the Bleues have so far achieved a perfect course in accounting terms with four bonus victories, the “Red Roses”, at the top of the standings thanks to a better point difference, have done better: they have impressed.
They first crushed Scotland 57-5, then crushed Italy 74-0, disgusted Wales 58-5 before atomizing Ireland 69-0, with more than ten tries per match on average !
” Take risks “
This is far from being the case for the French women who, despite their five tries scored on average per match, stammered their rugby at times to the point of finishing “frustrated” each of their meetings, due in particular to unfinished second periods.
An unthinkable relaxation given the challenge that awaits the band at Gaëlle Hermet on Saturday: in the last ten confrontations between the two nations, England have won nine times.
But on closer inspection, there is hope. Firstly because France have won 21 of their last 22 home matches in the Tournament. Then, because the last three meetings between these two nations have ended with a very small gap.
Last April in Lille, the English won 17-15, in a match interrupted in the 62nd minute due to a power cut.
A week earlier, they had only won by four points (10-6) at Twickenham Stoop. And in November 2020, again in London, the “Red Roses” won “only” 25 to 23.
Another positive point: the defense. In their first four matches, the Blues averaged 170 tackles, against “only” 112 for the English, conceding only three tries.
“England, like France, are above all two packs of forwards”, the Tricolores having the best rate of scrums won in the Tournament (97%), while England is the most solid on the mauls, underlines for his part Thomas Darracq, the sports manager of the Blue, for whom “the ability to take risks” will also be crucial.
With a team made up of young people “full of freshness”, and former 2018 veterans with precious “experience”, anything is possible, believes Annick Hayraud.
Because a “Crunch” always remains unique. The coach is convinced: “we have the ability to beat this team”.