Guirado and Picamoles will retire internationally after the World Cup

They will not have brought to the XV of France the titles hoped for, but they will have both, for a decade or so, marked the rugby tricolor their footprint. Louis Picamoles (79 caps) and Guilhem Guirado (70 caps) announced Friday night, according to their partners, that they played against Italy (47-19) their last match at the Stade de France. The third line and the hooker will indeed put an end to their international careers after the World Cup, if they appear of course in the list of 31 announced by Jacques Brunel Monday.

"I was in search of pleasure"

The two friends spoke at the end of the match, in a moment of great emotion. Picamoles has also confirmed his decision once out of the field. "I was not looking for an individual goal but in a search for pleasure because here I was, it was my last match here," said Montpelliérain (33) in the locker room Saint-Denis, which the Blues will find at the beginning of 2020 during the Six Nations Tournament.

"I give my best, after some choices are going to be made," he added, "Honestly, since the beginning of this preparation, there is a competition that is strong but healthy, that pulls the group up. That's all I care about … "