Grégory Alldritt will return: Harinordoquy, Picamoles and Patat are not worried about the La Rochelle international.

With just two selections under his belt, in November. A harsh blow for someone who, since his debut in 2019 at the age of 21, has accumulated 58 caps for the national team. Despite being fit, he was not called up by Fabien Galthié for the Six Nations Tournament because, like his club, the 29-year-old number 8 is going through a rough patch that has been ongoing. Two statistics are revealing. In 2023, the year of his second European title, he gained 51.5m with the ball in hand and only lost 0.7 balls per match. This season, he is at 35.11m and 1.3.

“Total confidence in him”

In the club, his influence remains crucial. Despite the heavy winter setback, Alldritt is holding the reins and giving his all. After the 4th defeat at home on February 14 against Montpellier, right in the middle of the Tournament, he took responsibility without complaint. Since then, he has never lost his smile. “Even great players go through a tough period. It’s right now for ‘Greg’,” emphasizes Ronan O’Gara. He is motivated, very critical of himself. I have total confidence in him. He is capable of playing rugby as well as leading men and his team into battle.”

“If we see his best version, it will be difficult to leave him out of the French team”

“He has never been in better shape than now. He’s working in the shadows, doing a lot of extras, changing his lifestyle, and questioning a lot of things,” assures the manager. It’s a true leader. The game is not Greg against (Mickaël) Guillard, (Temo) Matiu, or others, it’s Greg against Greg. If we see his best version, it will be difficult to leave him out of the French team.”

An opinion shared by three former number 8’s, including his two predecessors in the national team, Imanol Harinordoquy and Louis Picamoles. “It’s always difficult to digest criticism,” says the Basque, with 88 caps including 42 starts at the back of the third row. I think he will come back, we must count on him. A career is long, especially when you’re an international, you have to know how to manage the low times. But it’s when you’re injured that you can recharge, work on yourself physically.”

“A very solicited leader”

Yet, Grégory Alldritt has never missed several months for this reason. Like Picamoles before him, he does not have a very frugal game, offensively and defensively, according to the former Bordeaux player. Because Greg also puts a lot of energy into the rucks. He’s not at his best but I’m not worried. I just hope he’s in a good headspace and body, that the little setbacks leave him alone a little so he can regain his full potential. Because La Rochelle and France will still need Grégory Alldritt at 100%.”

“Sometimes, it’s good to touch the bottom to come up to the surface”

“He is often solicited, doesn’t spare himself,” adds Grégory Patat, who coached him in Auch and then brought him to La Rochelle. “Maybe he needs mental and physical freshness. At Stade Rochelais, he is solicited as a leader, he is a great captain who does a lot of things. Maybe he has been more concerned about his entourage than himself.” Especially since several key players are missing due to retirements (Sazy, Dulin, Atonio), departures (Kerr-Barlow), and injuries (Bourgarit, Skelton).

“A different management?”

In addition to the changes implemented by Alldritt, everyone agrees that this match enthusiast needs to take care of himself. “Maybe he needs to be preserved, because changing a profile is very difficult,” says Patat. “If he manages to adjust, he will catch the eye of the selector.” “When you start to feel tired, it’s too late. It’s better to take a Monday off from time to time, have a slightly extended weekend rather than chaining matches and stopping for fifteen days,” explains Harinordoquy. “In Toulouse, during my first season with Guy Novès, he prevented me from training early in the week. By the end of the week, I was raring to go. At 34, I thought I was done with rugby, but maybe I had one of my best seasons.”