The Breakdown | France’s star turns primed to convert club form into Six Nations success
If last weekend’s Champions Cup performances are anything to go by, France’s stars are arriving at the Six Nations this year at the peak of their powers.In both Bordeaux’s pummelling of the Sharks and Toulouse’s dismantling of Leicester, the France stalwarts led the way – from Damian Penaud’s double hat-trick of tries to Antoine Dupont’s now-customary multipositional display, with a resurgent Romain Ntamack by his side and Thibaud Flament excelling across all areas of the pitch.Given they provide the bulk of the national team starters, the fact that the Top 14’s top two teams are leading the way on the continental stage (but unfortunately cannot meet in the final) will only provide even more momentum for a resurgent XV de France.The post-World Cup hangover which initially blighted last year’s Six Nations performances has now largely subsided, with the three wins during the autumn internationals showing Les Bleus back at their pre-autumn 2023 best – in particular in a slender win against New Zealand.While too early to have any definitive impact on squad selection for 2027, this year’s tournament could nevertheless be one for the XV de France record books.
Penaud is two tries away from equalling Serge Blanco’s record 38 international tries, while Thomas Ramos is fast closing down on Frédéric Michalak’s tally of 436 points,Ramos, arguably the standout player of Les Bleus’ autumn campaign playing at fly-half, will undoubtedly be redeployed to his more familiar full-back role as Ntamack makes his return from an 18-month injury absence,While the next World Cup remains the primary objective, there is nevertheless increasing pressure on this France team to deliver more than the solitary Six Nations title won since Fabien Galthié’s arrival,“It’s not enough for this generation of players, some of whom are the best in the world in their position,” Ntamack notably told L’Équipe last month,The fly-half faces equally stiff competition from Bordeaux’s Matthieu Jalibert, whose disagreements with Galthié during the autumn internationals now appear to be water under the bridge.
Having been left out of the squad to face the All Blacks, the 26-year-old left the squad entirely and did not return for the closer against Argentina.“He’ll remain with the national team, if he wants it,” the France head coach had explained cryptically in November.Having missed the 2024 tournament to embark on his Olympic adventure, Dupont returns to the Six Nations with a magnified status on the national stage.The captain’s technical palette has only been enriched by his sevens gold‑medal stint that brought a gold medal, having explained himself that the brief switch helped him to improve his rucking and one-on-one duels and the pre‑tournament attention will centre inevitably on him.Other senior players in Gaël Fickou and Jonathan Danty will miss the start of the campaign, with their injuries leading notably to the surprise call-up of the 20‑year‑old Dax centre Noah Nene.
The Stade Français loanee, whose three tries this season include a 50‑metre solo run in the Landes derby against Mont-de Marsan, has been one of the standout performers in the Pro D2.It remains to be seen if he survives the first cut to the provisional squad.With Charles Ollivon and Anthony Jelonch also among the regulars out with injury, the lineup against Wales should see a mix of established internationals and relatively new faces.Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who scored four tries in November, misses the start of this week’s training camp in Marcoussis because of “dizziness” he experienced before Bordeaux’s match this weekend.Some of the less-established players of the wing’s age cohort – such as Léo Barré, Nicolas Depoortère, and Nolann Le Garrec – will enter the tournament this year with a year’s worth of international experience.
Barré, for instance, has yet to rediscover the heights of his man-of-the-match performance against England last year, but his Ramos-like versatility in the backline should afford him enough playing time to cement his permanent status within the squad.Sign up to The BreakdownThe latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewedafter newsletter promotionDominating the headlines, however, has been the controversial returns of the Pau lock Hugo Auradou and the La Rochelle flanker Oscar Jégou.The charges of aggravated rape for which the pair were detained during France’s tour of Argentina last summer were dismissed in December, three months after the court allowed them to return home.The verdict is being appealed by the complainant.Speaking last week on the radio channel RMC, Galthié explained that following the court’s decision, the two were now considered “innocent” and “available for selection” in the eyes of the France setup.
In an interview for Monday’s Midi Olympique, the former scrum‑half was evasive when asked again about the divisive call‑ups: “I hear what’s being said about Hugo and Oscar, I understand it.I accept it.”Their return, however, seems especially premature given the FFR’s new player charter which has looked to restrict more tightly players’ behaviour and intake of alcohol (and other substances) while on international duty.The new rules were introduced in October, in the wake of a disastrous tour which also included Melvyn Jaminet’s racist remark on Instagram, for which he was fined €30,000 and handed a 34-week suspension.More broadly, French rugby has been looking to cut back the excesses of the infamous troisièmes mi-temps – the drunken post-match “third halves”.
The inclusion of Jégou and Auradou, who while cleared of the charges nonetheless broke tour rules with their post‑match night out, at the earliest possible opportunity casts doubt over the sincerity of its effort to change the sport’s image in that regard.This is an extract taken from our weekly rugby union email, the Breakdown.To sign up, just visit this page and follow the instructions.
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‘Always going to have one or two’: Australian Open boss says rowdy crowds not a problem
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