XV de France: I will hang on and fight to be in Australia, Alldritt confides in his status on…

In an interview this week with RMC Sport and Midi Olympique, the La Rochelle international third row (58 caps) Grégory Alldritt reflects on his absence from the France squad during the last Six Nations Tournament and what he is doing daily to regain the blue jersey, a year and a half from the World Cup in Australia.

“Disappointed and frustrated not to be with them on the field, but not defeated!” He watched the France XV victory from his couch, one year after lifting the same Six Nations trophy as captain. But Grégory Alldritt holds no bitterness, as he fully accepted the strong choice of coach Fabien Galthié. Interviewed by RMC and Midi Olympique this week, the iconic number 8 of the French team and La Rochelle’s Stade delved into this episode.

While his exclusion from the 42-player squad generated a lot of discussion, along with other key players like Damian Penaud and Gaël Fickou, “I have my feet on the ground and I know that when I was not selected for the tournament, I was not at my best level. I totally accepted it. I did not see it as an injustice. He (Fabien Galthié) told me that I was not at my best. I don’t lie to myself: when I look back at my performances this winter, in December, I was not satisfied.”

“Not yet an old guy ready to retire”

As captain of a struggling La Rochelle team during the winter, facing a series of poor results and the abrupt end of Uini Atonio’s career due to a cardiac incident, the double European champion (2022, 2023) claims to have had no time to hesitate. Being at the club was good for me and the team, that’s where I wanted to be at the time.

However, images of celebration and triumph following the victory over England in the Six Nations Tournament, on March 14th at the Stade de France, linger in his mind. He wasn’t there this time. He holds on to those memories. Like a real motto, just as when he witnessed Stade Toulousain lift the Champions Cup and Brennus Trophy in 2021. “That also strengthens motivation, determination, and drives you to work hard […] I’m not yet an old guy ready to retire, I work hard to relive seasons like that.”

Focused and centered on his strengths

From La Rochelle where his club manager can attest to the efforts made by his captain, Ronan O’Gara mentioned just before the match against Bordeaux-Bègles, which ended in a bonus-point victory (45-15) last Saturday in the Top 14, and a great performance from Alldritt, that “Greg has never been as ‘fit’ as he is now. He does a lot of extra work, changed his lifestyle, and questioned many things.”

The 58-cap French international extends this introspection in the interview. “Was I lost in trying to change something in my game? I worked physically and tactically to focus on gaining meters, in defense and attack, trying to rediscover my strengths. When you are going through tough times, you need to rely on your strengths. That’s certainly what I did in 2024 and it’s definitely what I’m doing now.” With three kilograms less on the scale (112), Alldritt is starting to feel the benefits in his speed.

A return to the Blue jersey as early as this summer, before Australia?

And what about his future in the national team, amid all this? “The match is not Greg against (Anthony) Jelonch or (Temo) Matiu, it’s Greg against Greg,” says Ronan O’Gara. If we see his best version, it’s hard to keep him out of the 23-man squad for France. The player agrees with this philosophy. “The only one with the keys to success is me. It’s up to me to push myself from Monday to Friday and then on the field on Saturday.”

The 2027 World Cup, an event he has openly aspired to prioritize in his career, even just to overcome the failure of the last World Cup in France? “As long as the list is not announced, I will cling on and fight to be in Australia,” declares the player from Gers. “Now, we need to take it step by step. There is already a season to finish here, something to achieve, whether it’s the top 8 or top 6. Week after week, we will see where we go with La Rochelle. There is a potential opportunity this summer (the Nations Cup), where we will also have to fight to be able to apply. The road is long, but it is clear that the 2027 World Cup is my goal flashing in my head.”