France set the standard at the U20 Rugby World Cup

Anyone who has followed the U20 World Rugby Championships in recent weeks has been able to watch sensational sport. All the teams impressed with a high level of skill, fitness and understanding of the game, so that one can already look forward to seeing some of the players again at the next Rugby World Cup. One nation was particularly convincing, and its players attracted a lot of attention: France!

Not only did this team manage to win its third title in 5 years. This team did not lose a single game and surpassed itself and, above all, its opponents in every match. They scored more tries than the two winning teams of 2018 and 2019 combined. They were well behind in some games at the start of the match, struggled with discipline issues, yet came back convincingly and outclassed their very strong playing opponents very clearly in the end. The results read as if a bulldozer had been driven through the stadiums. France : Japan 75:12; France : New Zealand 35:14; France : Wales 43:19; semi-final France : England 52:31 and finally the final France : Ireland 50:14!

This French team showed a character and strength that was in no way inferior to the men's team. In the semi-final against a convincing English team, the players around captain Lennie Nouchi came back into the game after trailing 0:17 in the first 15 minutes and reduced the deficit to 14:24 at half-time. TGV then hit their stride, scoring four increased tries in 20 minutes to take a comfortable lead of 40-24. The brave English team's fightback was undone with another try.??

Players like fly half Hugo Reus with a kick rate of 93% gave the opponents no breathing space. No matter the phase of the games, Les Bleus were everywhere, tackling, playing off world class loads, dominating the lanes and pushing mauls into the try zone. They dominated the airspace and did not give away a millimetre. It wasn't as if Ireland or England had no opportunities, the stats show 52% possesion for England and 50% for Ireland. Instead, the players were always good for a surprise, every smallest mistake was punished immediately, converted into an attack not by one player, but there were three, four Frenchmen on the spot at once, converting every attack into points. They convinced with playfulness, never-ending support. The power never seemed to leave them, as for example with the try of captain Nouchi in the 74! minute of the game, who finally succeeded after a 60m sprint against three attempted tackles by Ireland.?

When Bernard Laporte became president of the French Rugby Federation six years ago, he set in motion a reform of the structures that obviously seems to have spurred on the work that had already been successful up to that point. The traditional committees were partly merged, organisational structures were streamlined and original training tasks were placed in the hands of the professional clubs. All in all, a much-hated reform that had certainly led to the loss of tasks and reputation for many players. Obviously, the concept was helpful with regard to the development of the playing level in the professional area and the training of the top youth players. The European Rugby Champions Cup has been firmly in French hands for three years.

Ireland and England have been similarly successful in promoting their rugby and so it is not surprising that the opponents in the European Club Cup over the last ten years have come from Ireland (4), England (5) and France (13). However, the French dominance stands out clearly here as well. In the men's comparison, we already find Ireland and France ahead of New Zealand and South Africa for one year. So it is worth keeping an eye on these two countries, especially with the Rugby World Cup starting in Paris in September.

Anyone who has been able to witness the players of French rugby during the promotion campaigns for RWC2023 and watched the games of the national teams at the Six Nations could see the determination of everyone involved with what seems to be one big goal to bring the World Cup to France in September. The youth have now achieved this three times in style. Allez les Bleues!