On Tuesday, the XV de France winger talked about his return to the Blues after a year’s absence and the final clash of the tour, against the Pumas on Friday evening at the Stade de France.
How did you feel about your return to the French team on Saturday against the All Blacks, after a year’s absence?
Gabin Villière. It meant a lot of joy and happiness, of course. The French team has been a goal of mine since I was very young and, after a year of waiting, to be able to wear that jersey again, especially against the All Blacks, was a very powerful moment, full of emotion, with the Marseillaise, the haka…
And how have you lived this year without selection (the last one against Uruguay at the 2023 World Cup, Editor’s note ) ?
I didn’t take it very well at first. But as time went by, I matured. I’ve accepted that players are emerging. That’s the strength of our group. You have to accept it, deal with it and excel. With time and maturity, I’ve realized that I need to keep progressing and moving forward. You just have to be patient and never stop fighting to get back to the highest level.
Penaud’s and Attisogbe’s forfeiture of their contracts has enabled you to seize this opportunity…
That’s how I took my first steps in blue, during the Covid period. So I’m in a good position to know what it’s like. You have to accept it, give your all for the group and be ready to seize opportunities.
It always stings a bit physically. Opposite them on Saturday night, they were beautiful animals…
Were you nervous before the match?
I had a very nice customer in front of me (Caleb Clarke, 1.90 m, 110 kg, NDLR), I’ve rarely seen such a solid winger. I’d prepared myself, with a little more excitement and adrenalin because it was the All Blacks up against them. But I didn’t feel any apprehension, I was driven by something positive.
A match in which, like all your team-mates, you defended more than you attacked…
Defense is just as important as offense. That’s what enabled us to gain the upper hand and win by a single point. It’s this state of mind that enables us to compete with the biggest teams. It takes a lot of commitment.
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Three days after this shock, how are you feeling physically?
It still stings a bit. On the other side, they were beautiful animals (smile). But we have everything we need to recover in Marcoussis and, after two days (of care), I’m feeling better. That match was tough, but we’re slowly starting to recover.
What are you expecting on Friday night against Argentina?
We’ll need to match the intensity we showed against the All Blacks. Over the last few years, the Argentinians have been competing with the biggest teams, and they’re coming off a big Rugby Championship (exploit in New Zealand, home wins over Australia and world champions South Africa, NDLR).). We know it’s going to be very tough. So, yes, we’re going to have to put in the same energy.
We have a lot of respect for our opponents. We don’t take them lightly. Many Argentinians play in the Top 14, and we know how talented they are…
Is there a risk of slacking off after beating the All Blacks?
No! This is the end of the tour, the last test. We want to finish well, because our objective of three wins has still not been achieved. And we have a lot of respect for our opponents. We don’t take them lightly. A lot of Argentinians play in the Top 14, and we know how talented they are. And they’re just behind us in the world rankings (4e against 5e).
You’ve been rubbing shoulders with them at club level. What’s so special about Argentinian players?
Character, for one thing. We know they won’t give up. They’ll be present at every ruck, every tackle, every reception, from the 1re at 80e minute. Their big strength is that they never give up. This character brings them a lot and defines them well. And, of course, they have rugby behind them.
Are you looking forward to Friday evening, when you’ll be able to enjoy the Stade de France again?
When you see the stadium full… You can feel all these people behind us, believing in us. They’ve believed in us for a few years now. It’s great and it pushes us to offer them this kind of match. We feel that support all the time, and it’s a real pleasure. It’s great to see our sport and our team put forward in this way.
Interview at the press conference