The challenge is "uppercase".

The XV of France faces England on Saturday March 11 in its lair of Twickenham, where the Blues have not been taxed for eighteen years, a "Crunch" as electrifying as it is decisive in the Six Nations Tournament.

Six months before the start of their World Cup (September 8-October 28), Fabien Galthié's men, who signed the Grand Slam last year, also have the opportunity to strike a blow in the last stage that resists them.

Since 2020 and the arrival of "Fabulous Fab" on the bench of the Blues, his troops have indeed won in Cardiff (2020) for the first time in ten years, in Edinburgh (2020) for the first time since 2014, in Dublin (2021) for the first time since 2011 and even in Australia (2021) for the first time since 1990. They also dominated the legendary All Blacks (40-25) then the South African world champions (30-26) during fall tests.

London?

The temple of English rugby has resisted the French invader again and again since 2007. And even since 2005 in the tournament.

At the time, the XV of France narrowly won thanks to six penalties from Dimitri Yachvili (18-17).

“It would be great to win at Twickenham”

"It also gives us the measure and the magnitude of the task that awaits us on Saturday", detailed the manager of the Blues, Raphaël Ibanez, holder of the position of hooker during the success of 2007 (21-15).

"It's a major challenge," added coach Fabien Galthié.

Because Twickenham, temple of dreams and exploits, has often been above all the coffin of French illusions.

The Blues thus remain on nine losses in a row in London, including a masterful rout (44-8) received in 2019 not far from the Japanese World Cup.

The French of 2023 have been warned.

And if they weren't, Antoine Dupont's teammates only have to turn to William Servat, their conquest and specific tasks coach.

"We do not remember all the matches with age but I have memories of this match of 2005: I remember some actions, particular guys like Julien Bonnaire ...", said the former hooker (49 selections between 2004 and 2012).

"Telling yourself that you have the opportunity to achieve something great with the France team is a challenge that I like. Going to hostile lands, competing against an incredibly strong opponent with a lot of temperament, that We like it. It would be great to win at Twickenham," Servat continued.

Above all, a victory would allow the Blues of 2023 to keep their title dreams alive in the tournament, in the event of a misstep by the inexorable Irish who travel to Scotland before facing England.

An English rugby "not yet completed"?

The current XV de la Rose is "a team that is still looking for itself", according to Fabien Pelous.

"They do not yet have a successful rugby. The English have good individuals, undeniably they have good players but they have less mastery of their rugby than in the past", added in an interview with AFP the former second- line, captain of the Blues in the 2007 triumph.

The English indeed changed coach in December, the coach of the Leicester Tigers Steve Borthwick succeeding the Australian Eddie Jones, dismissed after a catastrophic year 2022, punctuated by six defeats.

The former second line with a broken nose brought the XV de la Rose "to a very English identity", according to Toulouse's Thibaud Flament.

Include an automatic watering of candles, a powerful pack carried by Ellis "Baby Rhino" Genge and an underlined "stubbornness" by Galthié.

With this recipe, the Rose regained spice and straightened its head after its initial setback against Scotland (29-23): Italy (31-14) and Wales (20-10) thus suffered the English law.

A few months before the World Cup, it is therefore an English test that awaits the Blues.

With AFP

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