- Title: France gear up for Italy in last Rugby World Cup warm-up test
- Date: 29th August 2019
- Summary: MARCOUSSIS, FRANCE (AUGUST 29, 2019) (REUTERS) FRANCE RUGBY TEAM RUNNING THROUGH PASSING DRILLS DURING TRAINING CAPTAIN FOR THE TEST AGAINST ITALY ON FRIDAY (AUGUST 30), JEFFERSON POIROT, DURING TRAINING FRANCE COACH, JACQUES BRUNEL, WITH A RUGBY BALL DURING TRAINING TEAM TRAINING POIROT DURING TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE TEAM CAPTAIN FOR TEST AGAINST ITALY, JEFFERSON POIROT, SAYING: "In any case, in this match against Italy, knowing that it's the last preparatory match before we kick it off for real (at the Rugby World Cup), we have to have a more refined, more serious game before heading to the World Cup. We can't let ourselves to just be at 'almost' or to be unsure. We have to be more refined, more structured. Here I'm talking about the match in Murrayfield (against Scotland), but also the match in Nice, there were things that weren't very refined, where we also had problems, but in any case, we have to be much more refined." PHOTOGRAPHER TAKING A PHOTO DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE TEAM CAPTAIN FOR TEST AGAINST ITALY, JEFFERSON POIROT, SAYING: "There hasn't been any tension, since it's very clear that Guilhem (Guirado) is the team captain. It's been that way for four years. This time, it's going to be alternating between us two, and it could have well been the other way, too. So, there's nothing ambiguous, it's very clear, Guilhem will go to the World Cup as the team captain, it's not even in question." FRANCE TEAM FORMING A HUDDLE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE TEAM CAPTAIN FOR TEST AGAINST ITALY, JEFFERSON POIROT, SAYING: "He's (Guirado) also a leader, we agree on that. But then, if that's our coach's decision, it's our coach's decision. I'm just speaking for the players, and I'm not the only one to think that. He's our team captain and he'll stay that way until the end of the adventure." VARIOUS OF FRANCE TEAM RUNNING THROUGH DRILLS DURING TRAINING
- Embargoed: 12th September 2019 17:23
- Keywords: Rugby France team training session 2019 Rugby World Cup 2019
- Location: MARCOUSSIS, FRANCE
- City: MARCOUSSIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Rugby League,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001AU9VEIN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: France's rugby team should demonstrate a "more refined" performance if they want to beat Italy in their final World Cup warm-up, team captain for the test Jefferson Poirot said on Thursday (August 29).
France host Italy on Friday (August 30) off the back of a 17-14 defeat against Scotland away from home last weekend (August 24).
Poirot also stressed that there is no tension between him and regular team captain Guilhem Guirado, who will start on the bench against the Italians, adding that he and the entire squad know that Guirado will lead them at the World Cup.
France begin their World Cup campaign against Argentina on September 21 before facing the United States, Tonga and England in a tough Pool C.
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