France play down World Cup ‘favourites’ tag

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With less than 10 months to go to the World Cup, hosts France welcome holders South Africa to Marseille on Saturday but the home side are refusing the title of tournament “favourites” despite an 11-match unbeaten run.

Les Bleus’ impressive stretch of victories goes back to July 2021 and includes a convincing win over New Zealand and a first Six Nations Grand Slam success in more than a decade.

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Head coach Fabien Galthie has turned an under-performing outfit stuck in the middle of inconsistent selection and in-fighting between Top 14 clubs and the federation to second in the world rankings since he took over after the 2019 World Cup.

“The notion of favourites is so subjective,” France team manager Raphael Ibanez told reporters this week.

“We leave other nations the statute of favourites.

“They’re just words, what’s important is action,” the former Test hooker added.

Galthie’s team have played against and beaten every side in the top 10 in the world over the past three years, apart from the Springboks, who last lost to Les Bleus in 2009.

“South Africa, we love them. The South Africans, this team’s story, we’ve followed it since after the World Cup,” Galthie said.

“We have great respect for them, what they do is marvellous, sublime in our opinion,” he added.

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A big part of the Boks’ success in the World Cup was their ‘Bomb Squad’, six heavy forwards coming off the bench, something which Galthie has attempted to replicate during his tenure.

This weekend, Galthie will hand Montpellier’s 121kg lock Bastien Chalureau a debut as a replacement alongside 135kg second-row Romain Taofifenua with just two backs among his substitutes.

“Our wish is to have a solid front five starting and a solid front five to finish the match,” Galthie said.

“The question was asked for the 5-3 split but when a guy like Bastien presents himself we felt it was important to open the door and give him a shirt,” the former France captain added.

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Dylan Jack