“Mathieu Jalibert is the man for the job”: Debriefing from France and New Zealand by Christophe Lamaison

The key to the match: the speech of the coaching staff between the two halves

The former international noticed a change in the Blues’ attitude after the break. Even then, under pressure, they let it go.
“Obviously the team that came back in the second half had no fears left. That emotional burden seemed to weigh on their shoulders. I was at the Stade de France on Friday night and everyone felt it. In the first game, they cut right through the middle even though they knew very well that The middle is where they shouldn’t dig in. It wasn’t the best way to get into the competition… but we noticed after the break that there was more ‘guarantees’ and initiative. The same players showed a second side that allowed them to win. The coaching staff knew how to find the right words to give this team a little confidence. Finally, we must highlight the personality of these players. “The Blues have shown real mental strength. When they are late, they don’t give up and there is no panic. It made me think of Stade Rochelais during the last Champions Cup”.