After going up to the front at the start of the tour, former All Black Justin Marshall (51, 81 selections) was explained with the Tricolore captain, Gaël Fickou.
What have you thought about the tour, so far?
She could have been more exciting … I know that Antoine Dupont is injured but we would have liked to see Damian Penaud, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Gregory Alldritt, Romain Ntamack and Thomas Ramos challenge the All Blacks. There would have been more spectacle and fervor around the series. […] However, faced with a little rusty All Blacks- as is still the case during the first Test-the French fought well in Dunedin and could even have won the victory. But behind that, there were ten changes and the match we know, in Wellington (43-17) …
You had been hard before the first round. You had talked about a “Lack of respect” On the part of French rugby vis-à-vis New Zealand. Did you speak to the Blues after the first test?
After the match, I spoke with Tyler Duguid and Gaël Fickou. I told them that they had been courageous and wanted to explain to Gaël that people had not understood my first comments. It was not a rant. It was a cry of the heart.
Clear?
I told Gaël that I did not want to lack respect for anyone. Neither to him nor to his team. I have nothing against these boys and once again, they gave everything to Dunedin and are not responsible for this situation. On the day of my speaking, I had simply put forward that the French Federation did not respect the international window. […] Can we not rest the best French players upstream in the season? Should they really play in club? In my eyes, the jersey of the national team is the most beautiful and giving it priority, sometimes, is not completely absurd.
The ecosystem is different in France.
I understand the importance of the Top 14 and I know that the clubs are the employers of the players! I myself was the melee half of Montpellier, in another life (2008-2009). I also spent a wonderful year there and if I had known how nice French rugby was, I would even have arrived there earlier in my career. But do not tell me that over the course of ten months of competition, there is not a hollow moment during which we can rest these internationals who are today among the most beautiful ambassadors of this game, in the world. To tell you the truth, my children were in Dunedin during the first test and they liked the duel. But apart from Gaël, they knew none of the Blues and asked me: “ Where are the players who beat us in November, dad? »»
What did Gaël Fickou answer you when you have clarified your words?
He told me that he understood, from the start, where I came from but replied that nothing could be done, because French internationals play too much. (He sighs) Again, I hear all of this but we have such respect for French rugby and the XV of France that we would have liked to see them all on our field, this month of July. When the All Blacks came in November, the audience of the Stade de France was, I believe, happy to see Will Jordan, Ardie Savea, Rieko Ioane or the Brothers Barrett.
For several years, you have been part of a very popular show of New Zealand viewers, “The Breakdown”. Is it fun to make the antenna with former teammates?
We have fun, yes. Jeff Wilson (former all black backs) is a great presenter. He leads it with a master’s hand. Around the table, there is also Mils Muliaina, Aaron Cruden, Stephen Donald, John Kirwan sometimes. We approach our sport via very technical aspects and we take a lot of fun, yes.