In recent days, the Bleuets have restored the image of the France team, sullied by the Melvyn Jaminet affair and the accusations of aggravated rape against Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou. Large winners over the New Zealanders in the semi-finals of the U20 World Cup on Sunday (55-31), the young French received praise from their manager Sébastien Calvet.
“In this group, we have players who are very well behaved, who never drink a drop of alcohol, who work very well at school, who are very kind to each other and very generous,” said Calvet. He assured to praise his protégés, a group of which Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou were still part of a year ago.
In a disturbed atmosphere and a troubled context, Calvet insisted: “They are great guys. In French rugby, there is also this youth.” This statement came as French rugby fears that all players will suffer from current affairs, particularly the under-20 team. Before the semi-final, Calvet was pleased that “the management had hit home the messages we wanted to convey to our young people.”
Eager to also focus on the sporting aspect, Calvet asked his captain, Hugo Reus - Jegou's club teammate - on Friday not to answer a question about the affair. The goal was for him to be “focused on the semi-final”. Objective succeeded, therefore, since the Bleuets reached the final of the World Cup. Against England, France could win a fourth world title in a row in the category. The meeting will be held on Friday, July 19 at 7 p.m.
The joy of a demonstration – a 55-31 success, with 7 tries scored, at the expense of the Baby Blacks – and of qualification for the U20 World Cup final, next Friday (7 p.m.) against the young English, but not only that.
After the match, the coach of the French U20 team, Sébastien Calvet, was keen to underline the good image of his team, sometimes tainted by some taking the shortcut with the indictment for aggravated rape of Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jégou, U20 world champions last year with the Bleuets.
“Our goal is to make amateurs and non-fans love rugby,” said the future manager of SU Agen. “I want to say that, in this group, we have very well behaved players, who never drink a drop of alcohol, who work very well at school, who are very kind to each other, and very generous.”
And to add, in relation to this affair which tarnishes the image of French rugby: “We did not put pressure on ourselves with the surrounding context. But I told myself that if they achieved that (qualify for the final, Editor's note), they were great guys. In French rugby, as in French youth, there is also this youth. And we have lots of guys like that…”
