France‘s Ramos Calls for Discipline as Fall Tour Concludes with Win Over Australia
Paris, France – November 25, 2023 – Following a 48-33 victory over Australia on Saturday, French fullback Thomas Ramos delivered a candid assessment of the XV of France’s recent fall tour, highlighting significant areas for improvement as the team prepares for the upcoming Six Nations Tournament. While the win against the Wallabies provided a positive finish, Ramos acknowledged lingering concerns stemming from earlier performances against South Africa and Fiji.
The fall tour began with a disappointing 32-17 loss to South Africa, followed by a 34-21 win against Fiji that revealed defensive vulnerabilities.Ramos, echoing sentiments expressed by head coach Fabien Galthié, stated the team needs to address these issues swiftly.
“It always feels good to end with a victory,with a lot of points scored,” Ramos said immediately after the Australia match. “But if we take a step back, we are inevitably a little disappointed with this first match and these last twenty minutes against South Africa.” He specifically pointed to the team’s inability to capitalize on a numerical advantage during the South Africa game, ultimately leading to defeat.
A key focus for improvement, according to Ramos, is discipline. “We know what we have to do to try to reach the level of this team.Our discipline was not good during the tour. This will be a point on which we will have to work very seriously during the VI Nations Tournament,” he emphasized,referencing the frequency of French penalties and defensive errors throughout the series.
Ramos underscored the need for a stronger defensive showing, noting the 33 points conceded against australia and the 32 against South Africa. “We took a lot of points tonight.Thirty-three. Plus the thirty-two against the South Africans. We will have to find a better defense if we want to exist in the Tournament.”
He further elaborated on specific shortcomings, stating, “I think we gave our opponent too easy ammunition.[…] We had put a little focus on our discipline and in the first half, it was not good, to say the least.”
Looking ahead,Ramos identified areas needing refinement beyond just discipline. He recalled a previous iteration of the team, stating, “Four years ago, the team was a little more serious, especially (…) discipline. […] A little more serious also in the offensive game,in respect of the cells,the launches.”
The XV of France will resume competition in February with the start of the Six Nations Tournament, where addressing these identified weaknesses will be crucial for success.
