Tricolores have shades of Bulls in their blueprint
The Springboks will encounter a strong SA connection in the French team when the sides clash at Stade Velodrome in Marseille on Saturday.
Bok coach Jacques Nienaber heaped praise on France on Tuesday, particularly the way they find territory and build pressure on opponents in what he called a unique kicking game.
France’s kicking game has been on the up since former Springbok and Western Province flyhalf Vlok Cilliers became part of Fabien Galthie’s coaching staff in 2020.
Cilliers and Galthie’s association goes back to the mid 1990s when they played for Western Province.
Nienaber argues elements of the Tricolores’ kicking game are familiar. “It’s pretty much Morné Steyn at the Bulls, I’d say 2006 to 2009. It is very similar.
“They kick for territory and pressure. With their kicking game they don’t allow teams to get close [to their half],” said Nienaber.
French teams in the past never missed the opportunity to put the boot in, though that is interpreted in a different way by more contemporary Tricolores sides.
France kicked the ball out of hand 36 times in their narrow victory over Australia last weekend and Nienaber expects more heavy application of the boot this weekend. “That is why we went with [our] back three combination,” said Nienaber about KurtLee Arendse, Cheslin Kolbe and Wille le Roux’s selection. I think in that game there was just under 80 kicks. I don’t think it will change.
“It works for them. Because they are unique from a coaching perspective that is exciting. There is great innovation in that kicking game and a lot of detail. It is stimulating to see something like that. For us it will be a challenge and we will make plans to unlock it. There have been brilliant coaches before us that couldn’t unlock it.”
It is no coincidence that France have won 11 consecutive matches. They have a powerful but athletic pack, guile and trickery at halfback with Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack, gainline benders in midfield, while Damian Penaud is a player endowed with significant X-factor.
SA though, is the only team they are yet to play with a ranking in the top 10.
Though they are on a winning run, France have lost their past seven Tests against the Springboks. They came desperately close to turning the tables in 2018 before a Bongi Mbonambi maul try in the 83rd minute tipped the result in SA’s favour.
Nienaber is impressed by France under Galthie. “They are a confrontational team in their ball carriers. They have big men, a good set piece and their kicking accuracy is quite high, I think it is in the 90s. They have a good rolling maul and I’m not even talking about their defence. They are quite a stingy team. With their kicking game they don’t allow teams to get to their half. They are a well-organised defensive side,” he said.
The Boks may well have their hands full in Marseille.