When you think of French rugby, one word usually automatically comes to mind: unpredictable. “Which French team is going to turn up today?” is a question that has been frequently asked in the past. The unpredictable tag has been synonymous with Les Bleus for as long as I can remember.
The label stems from the traditional French style of play on the field; a style which leaves everyone guessing which version of the French side is going to turn up on match day. Are they going to bring their A-game and play with the natural French flair that we have been so accustomed too for so many generations? Or are they going to hesitate and play in a conservative manner? This volatility is how France has made their name. That air of uncertainty has helped France become one of the most loved, and sometimes hated, rugby teams in the history of the game.
From the sublime, to moments of despair, France has treated us on so many occasions. It may cause some debate, but in my opinion, when the French get it right and play their best rugby, there’s no team in the world that can compete with them. History has proven this; look at the classic matches through the years. When their backs have been against the wall, Les Blues have provided us with some of rugby’s most memorable moments. Take, for example, two of the great encounters that they’ve had with the All Blacks. The Semi-final in the 1999 Rugby World Cup went down as one of the greatest games in folklore, with France creating the first major upset in World Cup history. But, if you want a match that emphasizes exactly what the French are capable of when they’re faced with adversity, look at the 2007 Rugby World Cup Quarter Final. France were pitted against New Zealand at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, despite their host nation status. It seemed that the French were really up against it. Yet, on the contrary, the French pulled off a miraculous victory, triumphing against a perceived unbeatable All Blacks team 20-18, and creating yet another shock wave around the rugby universe. Unsurprisingly they have taken the underdog mantra on virtually every occasion when they have met New Zealand, but they have accepted it with aplomb, and this is when France are at their most dangerous. They don’t normally do well when they carry the favourites tag, which is why they try to shift it onto their opponents to make them feel the pressure instead.
So what about this French team then?
In my view, they are not your stereotypical French side with that unpredictable nature about them. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. They are actually very predictable. When you consider what the French do well traditionally, open running and expansive rugby comes to mind. This generation of French rugby seems to be somewhat restricted in that respect. They are one dimensional, and easy to read when it comes to their style of play. Yes, the one dimensional and very direct style can be effective if you execute it well – as Wales have proven in recent years with the success that they have achieved. But, that is because Wales are playing to their strengths, and this is not a strength that the French should be adopting. It may be sustainable when they play against a lesser, Tier 2 nation, but what happens when they come up against a better and more organised team, who can deal with that style of play and are able to counteract it? Every team, to be successful at the highest level needs a plan B, and this French side, in my mind, hasn’t got one.
The French teams that I grew up watching and admiring so much all had that flair and exuberance about them. They played what was in front of them, a sort of off the cuff type of rugby, that was exciting and could get you out of your seat and make you gasp in amazement. The founder of this style was a man called Pierre Villepreux, who first brought his philosophy to fruition as coach of Toulouse, and then later with the France national team. He changed not just the way his players played the game, but also the way they thought about the game during the game. He reinvented French rugby for the good, dragging them away from the stale, pragmatic approach of forward-orientated rugby that France had played in the 60’s and 70’s.
Now, it seems France have gone back to the days of trying to dominate the game up front with no other alternatives. I’m all in favour of a dominant forward pack, but there has to be an end product to that dominance and I just don’t think that the French are capable of finding that balance and playing to their full potential. With the players they have at their disposal, they should be winning and playing in a more comfortable state than they currently are. At times, the French have been playing quality players like Wesley Fofana and Morgan Parra out of position, and such decisions meant that they were unable to get the best out of them. There have also been questions over the team captaincy. They auditioned Pascal Pape for the job, despite the fact that Thierry Dusautoir had obviously inherited the role following a couple of successful years as leader of both the Toulouse and France teams. They got it right in the end though, handing the armband back to Dusautoir.
The man who seems to be halting France’s potential progress and preventing their talent from rising to the top of the rugby world is Head Coach Philippe Saint Andre. In his time in charge, France have finished 4th, 6th, 4th and 4th in the last four Six Nations tournaments respectively ; another good example of when things haven’t gone as well as they should have. This is mainly down to the fact that his style doesn’t suit French rugby. The French Rugby Federation (French Rugby’s governing body) has acted on this and made it clear that this World Cup will be Saint Andre’s last hurrah. The man to replace him next year will be one of Pierre Villepreux protégé’s in Toulouse Head Coach, Guy Noves. He will be tasked with the challenge of bringing back the flair to French rugby and reinstalling Pierre Villepreux ‘total rugby’ philosophy.
I, for one, would be delighted if Guy Noves can bring French rugby back to where it belongs, and once again thrill us all with the innovation and extravagance that only the French can implement on the world stage. That’s the future. For the present though, we’ll just have to grin and bear it.
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