The XV of France conquered the Six Nations Rugby Tournament with full victories (Grand Slam) after defeating England (25-13) this Saturday at the Stade de France in Paris, on the fifth and final day.
Source: AFP
The ‘Bleus’ of Fabien Galthié and Antoine Dupont, authors of three tries against the XV de la Rosa, had not won the Six Nations since 2010, the year in which they also won a Grand Slam.
In total, France has achieved that title with honors that is the Six Nations Grand Slam on ten occasions during its history.
In this edition they had previously beaten Italy (37-10), Ireland (30-24), Scotland (36-17) and Wales (13-9), before this last victory against the English.
In the list of winners, France succeeds Wales, which this time came in fifth place.
After twelve years without lifting the star rugby trophy in the Northern Hemisphere, France achieves this success in the year prior to the 2023 World Cup, where it will act as host country.
On the horizon, the French have the challenge of being able to beat South Africa, the current world champion, in the test-matches next November.
Since the end of the 2019 World Cup, which for the French ended in the quarterfinals, the ‘Bleus’ have been able to undergo a profound transformation and, except for South Africa, they have been winning all the great powers of the sport of the oval ball.
The French coach, Fabien Galthié, adds this success to the three Grand Slam titles he won as a player (1997, 1998, 2002).
“The work done with passion, with commitment, without compromise, has allowed us to go for this victory and close this tournament with a Grand Slam. I don’t believe it, we are still in full tension,” he told France 2 television.
When asked about the difference between the Grand Slams as a player and the one achieved as a coach, Galthié replied: “Twenty years of difference!”
England manager Eddie Jones admitted that France’s title was deserved.
“France deserves its title of champion. They were the best team, they showed it with a lot of determination. We have had many opportunities to score, but we did not know how to transform them”, he lamented.
– ‘Triple Crown’ for Ireland –
The other team that went into the last day with a chance of being champion was Ireland, who did their part by beating Scotland 26-5. The French triumph, however, left the XV del Trebol in second place.
Ireland won all their matches in this edition, except for the one they lost in France (30-24) on matchday two.
The Irish also won the ‘Triple Crown’, the honorary title given to the team from the British Isles that beats the other three teams (England, Wales and Scotland, as well as Ireland).
“The Triple Crown is a huge thing, especially for the Irish people. It’s something we haven’t done for a long time and it’s great to do it again”, celebrated Irishman Dan Sheehan.
– Italy avoids the ‘Wooden Spoon’ –
In the first game of the day, between the last two of this edition’s classification, Italy gave the surprise and beat Wales 22-21 in Cardiff, thanks to a try near the end of the wing Edoardo Padovani.
Italy thus broke a seven-year losing streak without winning a Six Nations match, chaining 36 defeats.
The Italians have not won a match in this competition since beating Scotland 22-19 at Murrayfield seven years ago.
After having lost in the first four rounds, this victory allows Italy to escape a new ‘Wooden Spoon’, the dishonorable consideration given to the team that loses all its matches in the same edition of the Six Nations.
