3 hours Ago
FRANCE WERE SEEMINGLY still dealing with a World Cup hangover last year when Ireland came to Marseille and gave them a relative hiding, leaving with a bonus-point win that teed Andy Farrell’s side up to win the Six Nations. A first-half rec card for Paul Willemse was a big moment, while it’s worth remembering that the French were also missing some key players. Antoine Dupont was absent from last year’s entire championship as he got some early 7s prep in ahead of the Olympics and he was sorely missed by He is at the heart of most things they do well and Ireland took full advantage of him being away.
Having Dupont on board for this weekend’s visit to Dublin makes France a different team. France were also missing their other first-choice halfback for that meeting in Marseille last year, with Romain Ntamack still on the comeback trail from the injury that ruled him out of the World Cup. Ntamack is an ideal foil for Dupont, understanding that his role as the out-half needn’t place him in the limelight.
At his best, Ntamack is an understated, calm presence who always remains disciplined in the kicking game but is capable of individual flourishes when France need him. Ntamack is also one of the best defensive out-halves around, giving him a big point of difference over his rivals. The Toulouse man has been short of minutes recently due to his two-game ban for a high tackle against Wales but he’s ready to go for this weekend.
So while Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert were in good form for Bordeaux leading into last year’s clash with Ireland, the French will be in a better place having Dupont and Ntamack leading the team this weekend. Right wing Damian Penaud has scored tries against Ireland in their last two meetings and is expected to return to the number 14 shirt on Saturday after he was left out of France’s big win over Italy two weekends ago. That came after an underperformance in the wasteful defeat to England and though Théo Attissogbe did well on the right wing against the Italians, Penaud should be back for this huge clash with Ireland.
Thomas Ramos should continue at fullback but there will be one notable change from last year in the French back three. Louis Bielle-Biarrey only came off the bench that night in Marseille but now he’s a in France’s starting XV. Bielle-Biarrey’s sizzling attacking form in the number 11 shirt makes him a big threat to Ireland this weekend.
The centre pairing of Jonathan Danty and Gaël Fickou from last year are missing, both having only returned to club duty recently after injuries. Instead, it’s expected that Yoram Moefana and Pierre-Louis Barassi will continue their new partnership in midfield for France. Both are talented and athletic but have had a few understandable teething issues as they get to grips with each other defensively.
Ireland will test their connection. Grégory Alldritt and François Cros remain key figures in the French back row but the injured Charles Ollivon is missing from last year’s back row, with La Rochelle man Paul Boudehent having emerged as a punchy, powerful presence for The second row is all change with Paul Gabrillagues no longer in the mix and the imposing Willemse sidelined for most of this season. The imposing Emmanuel Meafou had his strong form broken up by a recent lung infection and though he is now back in France’s Six Nations squad, he could be used off the bench against Ireland this weekend.
If that’s the case, it may be a newer big man who starts in the second row in Lyon’s Mickaël Guillard. The 6ft 6ins lock is a powerful presence and he impressed on his first Six Nations start against Italy last time out. Toulouse’s dynamic, skillful Thibaud Flament should be in the second row either way, bringing plenty of game-changing ability around the pitch along with his set-piece nous.
The front row should have a familiar look as Uini Atonio remains a key man at tighthead a few weeks before his 35th birthday. France boss Fabien Galthié convinced him out of international retirement after the 2023 World Cup and Atonio has lots of history against Ireland loosehead Andrew Porter. Peato Mauvaka has been a class act at hooker for the French, powerfully backed up by Julien Marchand, while Toulon loosehead Jean-Baptiste Gros has been the starter in all three Six Nations games so far.
That means the experienced Cyril Baille, the starter against Ireland last year, has been used in a bench impact role. Speaking of which, there is speculation in France that Galthié could opt for a 7/1 bench split of forwards and backs again this weekend, having done so against the Italians. With Dupont capable of playing at out-half and outside centre, as well as Ramos providing out-half cover, Moefana having started on the left wing against Ireland last year, and other possibilities for rejigging the backline, it could be that scrum-half Lucu is the only back on the bench.
That would allow the French to use Baille, Marchand, and Dorian Aledegheri to impact in the front row, while Meafou, Hugo Auradou, Oscar Jégou, and Anthony Jelonch all come on in the back five of the pack. France went 6/2 on their bench in the opening two rounds of the Six Nations, with Pau centre Émilien Gailleton providing cover for the outside backs..
