6 Nations Tournament: “Catastrophic finish”, “need for confidence”, “lack of timing”… the attack of the Blues at half mast

Meilleur marqueur d'essais (36) des Bleus, Damian Penaud est muet depuis l'Irlande. MAXPPP – Julien Mattia/Le Pictorium

Avec cinq essais inscrits en trois matches du Tounoi, l'équipe de France est loin de ses standards habituels. 

With only five tries scored since the start of the Six Nations Tournament, the French XV have lost their offensive effectiveness: a failure which has its roots in a mixture of chronic clumsiness, soaring confidence and lack of progress.

In Lille, that's at least what the Blues lacked during the draw against Italy (13-13). After a strong try from third line Charles Ollivon scored in the seventh minute, the French accumulated approximations like a bad choice from center Gaël Fickou (12th) or from too long a kick from opener Matthieu Jalibert (24th).

"In the first half, we had the opportunity to score three or four tries, but we didn't succeed. (…) What is missing is the finish. There are lots of rough things, we have to finish the shots and we don't finish them", Fickou summarized after the meeting.

Even the prolific scorer Damian Penaud was once again poor against the Nazionale. Silent since his try against Ireland, the Bordeaux-Bègles winger clearly illustrates a recurring difficulty for the Blues.

Sheepish mute, quite a symbol

Author of five achievements within the best attack of the 2023 Tournament, Penaud had carried his selection, with a total of 21 tries registered, which seem unattainable this year. The Blues' try counter remains stuck at five after three matches. "In these first three matches, we were not often in the lead. When we moved forward, the releases weren't really good, not in the timing", commented former international scrum-half Guy Accoceberry. –

"Facing Italy, we found a dominant forward pack. Unfortunately the finish was catastrophic. We cannot afford to spend so much time near the lines while being sterile", lamented the winner of the V Nations Tournament in 1997.

As soon as we have a little doubt, all the cogs take a hit

Newly arrived at the head of the French attack, Patrick Arlettaz pleaded before the match on "need for confidence"of its players, affected by the rout against Ireland at the opening of the Tournament (38-17), and surely still troubled by the elimination in the quarter-final of the World Cup by South Africa. South (29-28).

Need for trust

"In high-level sport, you need the confidence to do things, not without thinking, but with a certain spontaneity and speed. As soon as we have a little doubt and are a little less confident, all the cogs take a hit", explained the Catalan, came to replace Laurent Labit after the World Cup.

It's perhaps one of Fabien's mistakes, to want to leave with practically the same traumatized group

At the Pierre-Mauroy stadium, doubt was once again felt in the 21 hand faults and the 18 balls lost by the Blues. If for Fabien Galthié, he didn't miss "much" to pass & quot;from a painful rendering to a more joyful rendering", it will take "several matches to find a real offensive base&quot ;, said Accoceberry, calling for changes.

Galthié, impervious to rotations

Until now Galthié has shown himself impervious to the demands for rotation made by supporters and observers. The coach had also announced before the start of the Tournament that he wanted to go to the 2027 World Cup with 80 to 90% of his current group. "It'is perhaps one of Fabien's mistakes, to want to leave with practically the same group traumatized by the defeat" against the Springboks, Accoceberry advanced.

But against the Welsh on Sunday (4 p.m.), the injury to opener Matthieu Jalibert and the suspension until the end of the Tournament of center Jonathan Danty will force the # French management to make changes in two sectors under fire from criticism.

If full-back Thomas Ramos could slip into the opening, center Nicolas Depoortère, sparkling with Bordeaux-Bègles, applies. The return of Thibaud Flament and the arrival of Emmanuel Meafou in the second line are also eagerly awaited.