All Blacks win gives France ‘hope’ of Six Nations success
France's head-coach Fabien Galthie is pictured before the Autumn Nations Series rugby union match between France and New Zealand at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, on November 20, 2021. Photo by Eliot Blondet/ABACAPRESS.COM
France head coach Fabien Galthie said their recent landmark win over the All Blacks gives “hope” that his side can become a title-winning team.
Galthie’s men face their next assignment when they host Italy on February 6 in the opening round of the Six Nations.
Les Bleus will look to claim their first silverware since winning that tournament more than a decade ago in 2010.
Using the momentum
“This match against the All Blacks counts as one of the big victories. It gave us hope,” Galthie told AFP.
“Right now, we’re in a position to win a title and we wish, we want to win. It’s not an aim.
“We’ll give ourselves the means to do so. But then you have to play the matches.”
The former France scrum-half is set to name his Six Nations squad a week ahead of their training camp which will be based near Marseille.
The 52-year-old revealed that uncapped Mont-de-Marsan scrum-half Leo Coly, who has shone in the Pro D2 this season, and Lyon’s fly-half Leo Berdeu are also in with a chance of being called up to Les Bleus’ squad.
“Every Monday we (the coaching staff) meet to make a squad,” Galthie said.
“In December, two weeks after the game against the All Blacks we made a squad of 75 players, five to six players by position. There were new players there.”
Japan will host France before the November Tests that includes fixtures against world champions South Africa, Australia, and a tier-two nation yet to be named.
Galthie said that improving their world ranking from fifth will be crucial in his side’s chances of claiming the Webb Ellis trophy on home soil in 2023.
“The choice is to get to 2023 with a team which has a common experience and consistency,” he added.
“In front of us are Ireland, England, the All Blacks and South Africa. What’s important is that, usually, you have to be among the top three to be competitive at a World Cup.”