They met each other. Buoyed by the recklessness of their young neo-internationals, the Blues cruised past Wales (45-24) in Cardiff on Sunday, March 10. With five tries, they won the offensive bonus and showed a more exciting face than in the first matches of the tournament.
Change paid
For his first start, Nolan Le Garec hosted an entirely French game. Named man of the match, the scrum-half scored his first international try and continued to trouble the Welsh defence. Emmanuel Mefau, Nicolas Deporteur, Léo Barre and George-Henri Colomb also celebrated their first caps.
Adjudication Bench
Still 20 minutes behind time, the French took flight towards the end of the match and scored 25 of their 45 points after the 61st minute. The weight of the bench was particularly heavy, with no real impact on the first three matches. Georges-Henri Colombe and Romain Taophiefenua, active in the running game, came out with a try each, while Maxime Luku closed the mark.
And now the crunch
Superior to a limited Welsh team, this resurgent Blues will now attack England. It will be the second pairing of the round, with a victorious XV de la Rose facing Ireland on Saturday (23-22). If they win, they can finish second in the tournament.
