Galthie hails magical France
CARDIFF: France coach Fabien Galthie hailed his youthful team for having survived the “hell” of Cardiff’s Principality Stadium to notch up a 27-23 victory over Wales and keep their Six Nations Grand Slam dream alive.
France raced out to a 17-9 half-time lead at the closed-roof stadium thanks to tries from Anthony Bouthier and Paul Willemse, Romain Ntamack pulling the strings at fly-half.
Wales fired back in the second period with a Dillon Lewis try, but a doughty French defence held firm, an Ntamack intercept try sealing a first win for Les Bleus in the Welsh capital since 2010.
“The players produced a superb match. They played ‘THE’ game,” said Galthie, a former France scrum-half and captain who took over from Jacques Brunel following the 2019 World Cup where the French lost to Wales in the quarter-finals.
“We’re very happy to be able to share these moments, between ourselves but also with everyone who loves rugby, the people who support French rugby.
“To be here is hell, but it’s magic and that’s what we’re looking for.”
France skipper Charles Ollivon, who had a masterful game in the backrow after also shining in the opening wins over England (24-17) and Italy (35-22), hailed the spirit shown by the youthful French team.
The Wales XV boasted a Six Nations record of 859 caps, compared to France’s 234, but that counted for little in the Cardiff cauldron, according to Ollivon.
“That spirit won us the match today,” the Toulon forward said. “We have not invented anything, we did simple things with a lot of heart.
“It’s simply a bunch of mates who have won.”
Wales coach Wayne Pivac was left ruing a handful of missed opportunities in attack and what he said were some dubious calls by English referee Matthew Carley.
“We came out well in the secondhalf, to score and get back to the one point, the momentum was with us,” he said in reference to Lewis’ converted try that made it 17-16.
“Obviously [there was a] three versus one and it’s a 14-point turnaround and that’s disappointing,” Pivac added, after watching his team botch a try-scoring opportunity.
Pivac, however, commended the French for having “played very well”.
“We have to take that loss on the chin. We’re certainly not going to panic.
“We created a lot of opportunities today. I think we’re heading in the right direction, it’s about taking those opportunities. We made seven or eight line breaks and if we convert one or two more we’re well in games and winning games.”