The “French flair” inspired the British Barbarians who this Sunday, even reduced to fourteen throughout the second period, gave a lesson to the English (52-21), to their strong French contingent, under the eyes of a Fabien Galthié to the angels.
The “Baa-baas” “sauce Bleus” spent eight tries at a very bland XV de la Rose before heading to Australia for their summer tour.
Invited to lead the Barbarians in the wake of the successful Grand Slam at the last Six Nations Tournament, the coach of the Blues took advantage of this prestigious match to observe several players before the tour in Japan, with ten French players on the pitch at the time. sending, plus four others playing in the Top 14.
Eddie Jones’ men were weakened by the absence of Leicester and Saracens players, who played the English championship final on the same lawn 24 hours earlier, and deprived of Alex at the last moment. Dombrandt, the Harlequins’ third center line, hit on the knee. But these absences do not explain everything.
There is also something to worry about before a perilous tour of Australia, because apart from the opener Marcus Smith who almost held the XV de la Rose on his own – despite a lot of waste in the conversion of transformations -, the English delivered a very mediocre match.
Galthié, on the contrary, has many reasons to be satisfied, starting with the very good form of Damian Penaud.
Deprived of a try almost done by a forward from Jonny May – which earned a penalty try and a yellow card for the English winger (3-7, 18th) -, Penaud offered himself a double on an interception (11-19, 38th) and an acrobatic try at the end of the line (16-31, 55th).
Charles Ollivon, propelled captain of the Barbarians, scored a solo try, intercepting the ball at 22 meters before crossing the entire field, resisting the return of scrum half Harry Randall, to flatten under the posts ( 3-14, 24e).
Even the red card received by the Australian second line from La Rochelle Will Skelton (38th), for a shoulder blow to the face of Patrick Schikerling, pillar of Exeter who did not return to the field after the break, did not didn’t spoil the party.
The French continued to put on a show like the ball stolen by hooker Pierre Bourgarit who, after a great breakthrough from Yoan Tanga, led to a trickster try from Baptiste Couilloud (11-26, 46th).
And what about this sublimely dosed bell-shaped pass from Nolan Le Garrec, received by Louis Carbonel in the in-goal (21-38, 68th), this recovery from Sekou Macalou, relayed by Le Garrec whose kick refocusing foot was picked up and carried behind the line by Max Spring (21-45, 75th).
In the last seconds, Antoine Hastoy, after a passing game of ten, also went there with his try (21-52, 80th), completing the demonstration of the Blues which could give Galthié some problems to complete his list for Japan .
England – British Barbarians, 21-52
Barbarians. 8 tries: penalty try (18th), Ollivon (24th), Penaud (38th, 55th), Coulilloud (48th), Carbonel (67th), Spring (73rd), Hastoy (79th).
England. 3 essais. Cokaganasiga (36e), May (51e), Smith (60e).
England. 15. Tommy Freeman, 14. Joe Cokanasiga, 13. Joe Marchant, 12. Mark Atkinson, 11. Jonny May, 10. Marcus Smith, 9. Harry Randall, 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Jack Walker, 3. Will Collier, 4. Charlie Ewels, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Tom Curry (C), 7. Sam Underhill, 8. Callum Chick.
Barbarians. 15. Max Spring, 14. Damien Penaud, 13. Virimi Vakatawa, 12. Tani Vili, 11. Davit Niniashvili, 10. Antoine Hastoy, 9. Batiste Couilloud, 1. Jean-Baptiste Gros, 2. Pierre Bourgarit, 3. Trevor Nyakane, 4. George Kruis, 5. Will Skelton, 6. Dylan Cretin, 7. Levani Botia, 8. Charles Ollivon (C).
