France vs Namibia Preview: Fabien Galthie’s Selection Method Explores ‘Darwinian’ Approach

France Coach Emphasizes Adaptability for Rugby World Cup Success

In a bid to lead the hosts to victory in the Rugby World Cup, France head coach Fabien Galthie has highlighted the importance of “adaptability” in his team selections. After a stunning win against New Zealand in their opening game, Galthie made 12 changes for their triumph over Uruguay. Now, with another match on the horizon against Namibia, he has made an additional 12 alterations.

Galthie explained that their method is based on adaptability and follows Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest. He stated, “The most intelligent species adapts. We compose our teams weekly based on deadlines and consider factors such as preparation, rotation, and individual performances.”

The coach acknowledged that while there is much discussion about team compositions, it is vital to remember that they make decisions week by week. The success against New Zealand was not only attributed to the starting lineup but also to the overall group effort. For this reason, after facing Uruguay and with only seven days before their next match against Namibia, they needed to allow players who had faced tough opponents sufficient time for recovery.

Although France struggled to replicate their exceptional performance against New Zealand when playing Uruguay (resulting in a narrower scoreline), they remain well-positioned at the top of Pool A alongside Italy – who managed a commendable comeback victory over Uruguay yesterday with a final score of 38-17.

The upcoming match against Namibia is an opportunity for France to further solidify their position. Centre Jonathan Danty and prop Cyril Baille, both recently recovered from injuries, will make their first appearances in the World Cup. Their opponents have already conceded a total of 18 tries in their two previous defeats.

Full-back Thomas Ramos expressed the team’s intention to enjoy the game while respecting Namibia’s capabilities. He stressed that they aim to score points and tries through adherence to their own style of play and mutual respect among teammates. Patience is also key as they understand that even though Namibia may be considered weaker on paper, victory cannot be achieved by carelessly giving away possession. Improving attacking systems remains a target for this match as well.