France coach Fabien Galthie on Friday said that his team are focused on playing another “World Cup final” after securing their place in the Rugby World Cup knock-out stages with an eight-try thumping of Italy.
The tournament hosts completed a perfect pool stage record with their 60-7 thrashing of a team who ran them close less than eight months ago in the Six Nations.
France are widely expected to face reigning champions South Africa in the quarter-finals next weekend, but could face world No. 1 Ireland, or even Scotland, depending on the result between those two teams, who were to play after press time last night.
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And having already overcome one of the pre-tournament favorites, New Zealand, in their opening Pool A match, Galthie said that every game from now on would be like a final.
“Having played one World Cup final against New Zealand in the opening match, now we have another one,” he said. “I’m delighted to have stamped this qualification, but our next appointment is ... another World Cup final.”
Galthie would not be drawn on who he either expects to face or would like to face, nor was he prepared to say much about any potential opponents.
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For him, it is the occasion that matters more than the challenge presented by the specific opponents.
“On one side [of the draw], the reigning world champions ... and on the other side, the world No. 1 team,” he said. “The draw did its job, now it’s up to us to do ours.”
This victory was secured off the back of a dominant pack, who routinely softened up Italy’s defense before allowing the scintillating France backs to exploit gaps out wide.
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Seven of France’s eight tries were scored by backs, but every time it was the work of the forwards that made it possible.
“The breakdown was successful, likewise the scrum, line-out, attack and defense. These were areas that were very positive,” Galthie said. “We put Italy under permanent pressure in that respect.”
For Italy, this was a second humbling in the space of seven days against fellow Tier 1 teams who they are supposed to be able to rival. After last week’s 96-17 hammering by New Zealand, which was their biggest defeat since 1999 — before they joined the Six Nations — Friday’s trouncing was their biggest-ever defeat to France and 45th in 48 clashes.
For Azzurri coach Kieran Crowley, the main difference between the sides was one element: Power.
“You’ve got to have power, that’s it,” Crowley said. “You look at New Zealand, you look at France, you look at South Africa. Our guys gave everything they’ve got, but teams at the top international level play a power game.”
“We’re just lacking a bit in that,” he said.
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