The French team delivered a performance below their expected level on Thursday, September 14th, struggling to secure a victory against the brave Uruguayans (27-12).
15. Melvyn Jaminet : 4/10
Defeated by a pass behind him on the first Uruguayan try, he redeems himself by following up with a great reception on an offensive high kick. But that won’t make us forget the second Uruguayan try where he is beaten for a second time. Not reassuring as the last defender in the backfield. Offensively, his contribution is meager. In his « safety » area, kicking towards the posts, he delivered (5 out of 6). « He is a world-class kicker, » Fabien Galthié often applauds about him. He has once again confirmed it. Sometimes, that’s what justifies his presence in the selection.
14. Louis Bielle-Biarrey : 5/10
Sa première apparition en Bleu, face à l’Ecosse, avait fait naître tant de promesses pour ce si jeune joueur (20 ans). Sa première en Coupe du monde ne sera pas frappée du même sceau. Très peu servi sur son aile, dernier maillon d’une chaîne qui a souvent déraillé avant lui, Bielle-Biarrey n’a pas non plus beaucoup dézoné pour aller chercher des ballons et proposer des solutions. En défense, il a semblé parfois en difficulté. Il lui faudra se faire moins timide à l’avenir. Il inscrit toutefois l’essai de la délivrance (73e).
13. Arthur Vincent : 4/10
There were not many good opportunities for the Montpellier player in his first start in this World Cup. On one of his few chances in the first half, he attempted a poorly timed and missed kick which he ultimately recovered, luckily, at the last moment. Afterwards, he took a few hits on defense, but he was mostly beaten again by Amaya on the second try by the Uruguayans. Overall, his performance was (very) inadequate to confirm his excellent debut last week against the All Blacks.
12. Yoram Moefana : 4,5/10
If he didn’t have many opportunities to showcase his skills in a team that lacked structure and failed to execute their game plan, the Bordeaux player did not contribute to any improvement in fluidity. He made numerous mistakes and inaccuracies when he did receive the ball. His offensive contribution was very minimal. However, he was much more reassuring in defense. It was precisely in this area that he had raised concerns a week earlier against the All Blacks. This time, he achieved a convincing 13 out of 13 (the best among the French players in this exercise). It provides a first certainty to hold onto.
11. Gabin Villière : 3,5/10
Rarely out of position, he also often struggled to break through the Uruguayan defense at the end of the line. Like on this play (23rd minute) where he ended up getting tackled and turned the ball over to the opponent while trying to challenge. This is generally his downfall: Villière seeks physical confrontation a lot. Aggressive on the advantage line, he rarely found progress. He even lost balls in contact. In the end, there are few reasons for satisfaction regarding him. His return to a better level is taking time.
10. Antoine Hastoy : 3/10
Despite a 3-2 advantage, Hastoy struggled in the match after his entry. The French team never found their rhythm, and Hastoy was unable to impose his own. It should be noted that there was little movement from his teammates, resulting in limited natural options for him. However, he was also responsible for numerous mistakes in his passing and decision-making. This match will not change the hierarchy with Matthieu Jalibert, making it a missed opportunity for Hastoy.
9. Maxime Lucu : 4,5/10
He was not helped by his pack of forwards who never managed to collectively engage, contenting themselves with individual interventions, often punctuated by mistakes, especially in the first half. But in this chaos, Lucu failed to bring order. It is nevertheless one of his missions and therefore his fault. Acting as a link between the forwards and the backs, he transmitted this disorder to the French team’s game launches. Replaced by Baptiste Couilloud (64th minute).
8. Anthony Jelonch : 5/10
The temporary captain of the French national rugby team took about twenty minutes to get into the game before gaining confidence with a strong tackle after a lineout. However, he was hesitant in his ball carries. He was replaced by François Cros (50th minute), who sought to bring stability to a struggling forward pack in the dynamic battle by making tackles left and right.
7. Sekou Macalou : 6/10
He started the game, trying to focus on playing rather than using his speed. Selfless and disciplined in his defensive positioning, he is one of the few players who did not completely miss his first half. It’s a shame that after the break, every time he had the ball, he sought physical challenges instead of attempting to play through the gaps. Two throw-ins conceded towards the end of the match.
6. Paul Boudehent : 4/10
Trop discret. Le Rochelais avait réussi son entrée face aux Blacks, mais cette fois-ci, comme titulaire, on n’a pas retrouvé durant ce match, son punch et son dynamisme. En défense, il ne rate pas de plaquage mais il n’en fait pas assez.
5. Romain Taofifenua : 4/10
Le Lyonnais est auteur d’une belle entame de match, nous gratifiant d’une magnifique passe entre les jambes pour Jaminet (13e), entaché d’un en avant. Seulement, son coup de coude sanctionné d’un jaune (27e) mérité. Remplacé par Bastien Chalureau (50e), qui fait ses débuts en Coupe du Monde en se faisant pénaliser sur sa première prise de balle._Discret et souvent à contretemps, il semblait un peu perdu, dès que le ballon était écarté.
4. Cameron Woki : 5/10
During the first gloomy period of the French team, the Racingman tried to focus on his duties as the lineout captain. He made some good catches (5) and attempted counterattacks that troubled the South Americans. Replaced by Thibaud Flament (57th minute) who brought some speed to his interventions, both on the ground and in the air.
3. Dorian Aldegheri : 6/10
The Toulousain gains the upper hand over his direct opponent, Sanguinetti (who suffered greatly), in the first scrum and earns the penalty that allows the Blues to open the score. This dominance in the scrum gave him confidence for the rest of his tasks, particularly clearing and supporting in close quarters. A good ball stolen (44th minute). Replaced by Sipili Falatea (50th minute) who also gained the upper hand over his counterpart in the scrum.
2. Pierre Bourgarit : 5/10
After five minutes of warming up, there was some dynamism, but also quite a few somewhat messy interventions. Upon returning from the locker room, he made a crucial steal (42nd minute) that stopped Uruguay’s offensive. However, on the subsequent throw-in, it was not straight (43rd minute). Replaced by Peato Mauvaka (50th minute), who was accurate in his throws, it was evident that he had ants in his pants but was never able to capitalize on them.
1. Jean-Baptiste Gros : 5/10
He often positioned himself as a second striker, but did not make enough progress. His ankle tackles bring down his opponents but do not gain much ground. He was replaced by Reda Wardi (50th minute), who focused on avoiding mistakes during set pieces. He was active in the offensive, showcasing his ability to move around.
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