Heartbreak
“I’ve never watched the game back,” admits François. “I don’t want to. I won’t take time to look because I can’t change anything. That’s over now, and I prefer to look forward than backward. But, if I have the luck to play again against South Africa or in a World Cup, maybe I’ll look at this game to learn why we failed to close out this match, only a point away.
“My biggest frustrations lie outside of those eighty minutes,” he confesses. “If we played it again, could we win it? Of course – it was that close. But you don’t get another chance in a World Cup. I was inside the team, and for me, we didn’t lose on the field, we lost it before. Our preparation was too long, and we didn’t go hard enough. I remember during the warm-up Tests when the South Africa team put out a photo of their intense gym sessions, it was a different mentality – they were giving 100% in terms of physical preparation and when they arrived at the World Cup, it showed, for sure.
“And afterwards, when the competition started, even then our preparation was out. And to compound matters further, we didn’t continue to work, and perhaps got sidetracked by the various media, sponsor and other commitments in the tournament. When we played South Africa, we were equally as good, if not better, players on an individual skillset level. But in terms of physicality, they were way better than us and it showed in the final result.
“It’s a symptom of our rugby,” he continues. “The culture is different – French flair is something we hear often and there’s an overreliance on that focus. We tend to put less intensity into preparation, being told the way we play is more free, more open, but this needs to change. We must find a balance.
“I learned the hard way about preparation and it’s a key component of my approach. It goes back to my time in the under-16s when I saw the difference between professionalism and an amateur ethos. When we exited the field, we drank water and were not managed by the nutritionist, but my opponent was met by the S&C [strength and conditioning] team with a protein shake and energy mix – a different level of approach and something that stayed with me. It’s those tiny margins that make the difference in close matches and the quarter final is proof of that.”
Europe
With the Rugby World Cup behind him midway through last season, François quickly turned his attention back to domestic and European rugby, with the Champions Cup and Top 14 title firmly in Toulouse’s sights. He formed a brilliant partnership with England openside Jack Willis, but Cros admits that the dynamic duo have differing styles, meaning it took some time to develop.
“At the start it was unusual because in France, we have a left and right flanker. I had never worked openside and blindside, like Jack had, I just play the French way. I never learned the difference between open and blind, so I play on my side of the scrum on the right, and I try to adapt to the skillset that Jack has. You know he’s going to carry a lot of ball, and his specialism is on the floor, where he absolutely dominates.
“Factor in Alexandre [Roumat, the Toulouse number eight] who is brilliant in the air, and I try my best to fill the holes they leave. It’s the same with France where Greg Alldritt and Charles Ollivon, the players I have played with the most, are very attacking in their mindset, so I must balance them out. I don’t think I managed a carry for five games, but I don’t care. It’s the success of the unit above the success of the individual, and that’s the key. I have a lot of work to deliver on the field. And if some players are better than me at carrying the ball, I let them, it’s that simple”
After a formidable season, Toulouse ended 2023/24 with another Top 14 and Champions Cup double, matching their 2021 success. They first beat Leinster 31-22 in London to secure their European crown before hammering Bordeaux by 59-3 in the Top 14 final.
François admits that the sensational Toulouse season has made it a little easier to move past the disappointment of the World Cup. “The worst thing I found after the World Cup is the need to find another challenge to occupy me,” he reflects. “We knew we [the France squad] would not be together again for a long time, some three months, so after a break it was key to embrace Europe and Top 14 rugby, knowing I probably had 26 games left in the season and I wanted to have something tangible to show for it.”
Jennifer nods. “Look, when you think back at that 23/24 season, we end up seeing it through a Toulouse lens. It was the second double for this generation of players, a long, long season full of twists and turns, and that kind of takes your mind off other things and allows you to focus on the successes, not the errors – and judged in that way, it was an incredible year.”
“There is a job still to be done in both the colours of France and of Toulouse,” adds François. “Of course, 2027 and the World Cup is in the corner of our minds, but the road goes through many tests and many games before that, some against nations we don’t play so often, and it’s key that we focus. We need to learn from experience and be on our guard.
“Within the French camp we are proud of our journey so far, even though it was tarnished by that World Cup defeat. But this is all behind us and now we need to look ahead. We want to keep our standards up and do better. We’re not questioning ourselves too much and we’re enjoying being here and giving the jersey everything we have. We want to get back to winning world cup.
