Jegou-Auradou affair: “We have players who are very well behaved, who never drink a drop of alcohol”, the Bleuets' clearing in the final

The joy of the Bleuets, qualified for the final. World Rugby

The French under-20 team, qualified for the World Cup final in South Africa, offers French rugby a brightening in an atmosphere weighed down by the indictment in Argentina for rape of two internationals and the racist video of a third.

"In this group, we have players who are very well behaved, who never drink a drop of alcohol, who work very well at the school, who are very kind to each other and very generous", said the Bleuets manager, Sébastien Calvet, after the clear victory in the semi-final of his protégés Sunday evening against New Zealand (55-31).

"They're great guys. In French rugby, there is also this youth ", he insisted. Implicit in this fear is the fear that all French rugby players, and in particular the Bleuets, will be included in this accusation of rape which has led to Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou being indicted and placed in detention.< /p>

Everything you need to know about the Jegou-Auradou affair

A woman accuses them of having raped and beaten her in their hotel in Mendoza (west), the night following the first match of the France team during its tour in Argentina. Auradou and Jegou had just had their first selection for the "grands" against the Argentinian Pumas on July 6.

"Stay focused on our match"

They were crowned U20 world champions last year, under the orders of Calvet and alongside a number of players from the current squad in South Africa. When the accusation and arrest of the two men were made public, the management hit hard in the messages that we wanted to pass on to our young people", according to Calvet.

He asked captain Hugo Reus, Jegou's club teammate, on Friday not to answer a question about the affair, so that he remained "focused on the semi-final". Before the match against New Zealand, Axel Desperes, the Pau flyhalf and club teammate of Auradou, explained that the team had known "stay focused on our match". "We are in our World Cup, we think about that."

Les Bleuets aim for a fourth consecutive world title

The cohesion of the group, very impressive offensively (7 tries against the "Baby Blacks") appeared evident for this "the most successful match& ;quot; dixit Calvet.

"Everyone gets along well, there is group life. We draw strength there, from the good times we spend together",” said hooker Barnabé Massa. A solidarity that we will still have to maintain until Friday evening and the final against England, to hope to win a fourth consecutive world title.