AS FRENCH RUGBY continues to reel from yesterday’s news that Uini Atonio has been forced to retire after a heart attack, Fabien Galthié and les Bleus are pushing on with plans to beat Ireland in Paris next Thursday.
Confirmation of France’s final 28-man squad for the final week of preparation for the Six Nations opener crystallises their probable selection.
35-year-old Atonio would likely have been involved in the championship opener at Stade de France, potentially off the bench behind Régis Montagne, who started all three November Tests when the veteran was missing through injury.
Montagne is one of the fresher faces in a French side that includes lots of figures who are familiar to Irish supporters.
25-year-old Montagne was playing in the Pro D2 two seasons ago, having come through with his native Grenoble. His consistency over the course of four years at the coalface in France’s second division earned him a move to Clermont in the summer of 2024.
By the end of his first season with Clermont, the 132kg tighthead was making his France debut, coming off the bench in two Tests on the tour of New Zealand after Galthié left many of his frontliners at home.
With Atonio out injured, Montagne took over as the starter in November and did well against South Africa, Fiji, and Australia. There were some tough moments for him at the scrum, particularly against the Springboks, but he also showed some set-piece quality and contributed strongly around the pitch.
It looks like Montagne – which translates as ‘mountaint’ – will be in the starting front row against Ireland, along with experienced hooker Julien Marchand and Toulon loosehead prop Jean-Baptiste Gros.
With Thibaud Flament missing the Ireland game for personal reasons, it’s expected that Charles Ollivon will be in the French second row to take responsibility for the lineout.
Ollivon, who has been an excellent back row for les Bleus and still plays there for Toulon and France, is a superb lineout defender and a clever caller, as well as being a powerful presence in contact.
Charles Ollivon is expected to run the French lineout. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
It remains to be seen whether France go with Toulouse’s Emmanuel Meafou or Lyon’s Mickaël Guillard as the tighthead lock alongside Ollivon, but both will probably have important parts to play in the matchday 23.
Meafou – who is the heavier of the two – and Guillard’s size and power make them highly effective in the carry, tackle, scrum, and maul. Both also have good offloading and link passing skills.
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Guillard, who was impressive in last year’s Six Nations, can also play in the back row and has started three Tests at number eight for France, so he provides extra versatility in the matchday squad.
With Grégory Alldritt – captain the last time they played a match against Australia in November – left out of the French squad, Toulouse back row Anthony Jelonch is favoured to take over at number eight.
He’s an effective, multi-skilled player, but the French may miss Alldritt’s defensive breakdown quality.
It looks like Jelonch could combine with Toulouse team-mate François Cros, only recently back from injury, and La Rochelle’s Oscar Jégou in the starting back row against Ireland.
Jégou is a particularly useful player because he can move to the midfield if injuries strike and France have gone for a 6/2 bench split, as they did for all three November Tests. Jégou moved to the centre against Ireland in last year’s Six Nations and again in the autumn against Fiji, doing well on both occasions.
Of course, all eyes will be on Antoine Dupont as he returns to France’s number nine shirt next week for the first time since he suffered his knee injury in Dublin last year.
There are plenty of good scrum-halves in French rugby, with Nolann Le Garrec and Maxime Lucu – both now injured – starting there in November, but there’s no one like Dupont. They missed his creativity, explosive power, and class in the autumn.
Matthieu Jalibert has been brilliant for UBB. Steve Haag Sports / Christiaan Kotze/INPHO
Steve Haag Sports / Christiaan Kotze/INPHO / Christiaan Kotze/INPHO
With Romain Ntamack sidelined, it looks like Bordeaux’s hotly in-form Matthieu Jalibert will take over in the number 10 shirt, as he did when Ntamack missed the 2023 World Cup.
There’s a perception that Dupont and Jalibert aren’t a complementary halfback pairing, but the pacy Bordeaux out-half has been playing beautiful rugby all season, improving his defensive game and creating sheer magic in attack. His kicking is also mature and varied, so he will feel he has all the tools to unlock Ireland.
Experienced centre Gaël Fickou was another previously key player who Galthié jettisoned for this Six Nations, partly because of his form but mainly because there are other excellent midfield options.
Yoram Moefana – who missed the November Tests with injury – is startlingly athletic and difficult to contain. He could team up with his regular Bordeaux midfield partner Nicolas Depoortère for the Ireland game.
23-year-old Depoortère is a Rolls-Royce of an outside centre who is something of a throwback in bringing some offloading magic to the number 13 shirt, but who equally has a venomous streak and a dynamic fend.
Thomas Ramos, who has played at out-half for France on several occasions, remains a key figure at fullback under Galthié. He is another who brings an unpredictable edge but whose tactical and attacking kicking skills offer a point of difference.
Ramos is also perhaps the best goal kicker in world rugby and he is in fine form in that regard, with an 88% success rate off the tee for Toulouse so far this season.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey will continue to be an utter menace from France’s left wing, with his searing speed and accurate chip kicking making him the ultimate transition threat. Galthié’s side simply look to feed his speed when they get turnover ball and Bielle-Biarrey generally punishes the opposition.
The omission of regular right wing Damian Penaud, France’s all-time top try scorer, caused the most controversy, but he was short of his best form in the autumn internationals.
The vast majority of teams in world rugby would have continued picking him, yet Galthié is set to name Pau’s 21-year-old Théo Attissogbe at number 14 against Ireland.
Thomas Ramos is superb goal kicker. Federico Pestellini / INPHO
Federico Pestellini / INPHO / INPHO
Attissogbe is another player who missed November due to injury, but he has convinced the France boss with his return for high-flying Pau.
He made a strong start to last year’s Six Nations, scoring two tries against Italy before he was dropped when Penaud came back in against England a week later. Penaud was dropped after the defeat to the English, with Attissogbe scoring another try against Italy in Round 3, yet Galthié went back to Penaud for the last two games.
Attissogbe impressed on France’s tour of New Zealand last summer, starting once at fullback and twice on the wing, and now looks set for his first appearance against Ireland.
Uncapped Toulon wing Gaël Dréan, who has 12 tries in 14 starts for his club this season, is the other contender for the right wing spot.
The French bench could be boosted by the return of the dynamic hooker Peato Mauvaka, who missed November with injury, although Bordeaux’s Maxime Lamothe is playing very well and will be hard to leave out.
If France continue with their 6/2 policy, Lamothe could be joined by the likes of Toulouse props Rodrigue Neti and Dorian Aldegheri, Pau lock Hugo Auradou, Meafou, and Montpellier back row Lenni Nouchi as the replacement forwards.
Toulon scrum-half Baptiste Serin is back in the squad and will hope to play for the first time since France’s trip to South America in 2024, while Toulouse’s 20-year-old centre Kalvin Gourgues will be hard to ignore for the number 23 shirt.
Among the 14 players Galthié has released for Top14 duty this weekend are Cameron Woki, Temo Matiu, Cyril Baille, and Alexandre Fischer. They’d start for some nations, but they’re surplus to France’s requirements.
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A mountainous prop, no Penaud, and France's team for Ireland
AS FRENCH RUGBY continues to reel from yesterday’s news that Uini Atonio has been forced to retire after a heart attack, Fabien Galthié and les Bleus are pushing on with plans to beat Ireland in Paris next Thursday.
Confirmation of France’s final 28-man squad for the final week of preparation for the Six Nations opener crystallises their probable selection.
35-year-old Atonio would likely have been involved in the championship opener at Stade de France, potentially off the bench behind Régis Montagne, who started all three November Tests when the veteran was missing through injury.
Montagne is one of the fresher faces in a French side that includes lots of figures who are familiar to Irish supporters.
25-year-old Montagne was playing in the Pro D2 two seasons ago, having come through with his native Grenoble. His consistency over the course of four years at the coalface in France’s second division earned him a move to Clermont in the summer of 2024.
By the end of his first season with Clermont, the 132kg tighthead was making his France debut, coming off the bench in two Tests on the tour of New Zealand after Galthié left many of his frontliners at home.
With Atonio out injured, Montagne took over as the starter in November and did well against South Africa, Fiji, and Australia. There were some tough moments for him at the scrum, particularly against the Springboks, but he also showed some set-piece quality and contributed strongly around the pitch.
It looks like Montagne – which translates as ‘mountaint’ – will be in the starting front row against Ireland, along with experienced hooker Julien Marchand and Toulon loosehead prop Jean-Baptiste Gros.
With Thibaud Flament missing the Ireland game for personal reasons, it’s expected that Charles Ollivon will be in the French second row to take responsibility for the lineout.
Ollivon, who has been an excellent back row for les Bleus and still plays there for Toulon and France, is a superb lineout defender and a clever caller, as well as being a powerful presence in contact.
It remains to be seen whether France go with Toulouse’s Emmanuel Meafou or Lyon’s Mickaël Guillard as the tighthead lock alongside Ollivon, but both will probably have important parts to play in the matchday 23.
Meafou – who is the heavier of the two – and Guillard’s size and power make them highly effective in the carry, tackle, scrum, and maul. Both also have good offloading and link passing skills.
Guillard, who was impressive in last year’s Six Nations, can also play in the back row and has started three Tests at number eight for France, so he provides extra versatility in the matchday squad.
With Grégory Alldritt – captain the last time they played a match against Australia in November – left out of the French squad, Toulouse back row Anthony Jelonch is favoured to take over at number eight.
He’s an effective, multi-skilled player, but the French may miss Alldritt’s defensive breakdown quality.
It looks like Jelonch could combine with Toulouse team-mate François Cros, only recently back from injury, and La Rochelle’s Oscar Jégou in the starting back row against Ireland.
Jégou is a particularly useful player because he can move to the midfield if injuries strike and France have gone for a 6/2 bench split, as they did for all three November Tests. Jégou moved to the centre against Ireland in last year’s Six Nations and again in the autumn against Fiji, doing well on both occasions.
Of course, all eyes will be on Antoine Dupont as he returns to France’s number nine shirt next week for the first time since he suffered his knee injury in Dublin last year.
There are plenty of good scrum-halves in French rugby, with Nolann Le Garrec and Maxime Lucu – both now injured – starting there in November, but there’s no one like Dupont. They missed his creativity, explosive power, and class in the autumn.
With Romain Ntamack sidelined, it looks like Bordeaux’s hotly in-form Matthieu Jalibert will take over in the number 10 shirt, as he did when Ntamack missed the 2023 World Cup.
There’s a perception that Dupont and Jalibert aren’t a complementary halfback pairing, but the pacy Bordeaux out-half has been playing beautiful rugby all season, improving his defensive game and creating sheer magic in attack. His kicking is also mature and varied, so he will feel he has all the tools to unlock Ireland.
Experienced centre Gaël Fickou was another previously key player who Galthié jettisoned for this Six Nations, partly because of his form but mainly because there are other excellent midfield options.
Yoram Moefana – who missed the November Tests with injury – is startlingly athletic and difficult to contain. He could team up with his regular Bordeaux midfield partner Nicolas Depoortère for the Ireland game.
23-year-old Depoortère is a Rolls-Royce of an outside centre who is something of a throwback in bringing some offloading magic to the number 13 shirt, but who equally has a venomous streak and a dynamic fend.
Thomas Ramos, who has played at out-half for France on several occasions, remains a key figure at fullback under Galthié. He is another who brings an unpredictable edge but whose tactical and attacking kicking skills offer a point of difference.
Ramos is also perhaps the best goal kicker in world rugby and he is in fine form in that regard, with an 88% success rate off the tee for Toulouse so far this season.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey will continue to be an utter menace from France’s left wing, with his searing speed and accurate chip kicking making him the ultimate transition threat. Galthié’s side simply look to feed his speed when they get turnover ball and Bielle-Biarrey generally punishes the opposition.
The omission of regular right wing Damian Penaud, France’s all-time top try scorer, caused the most controversy, but he was short of his best form in the autumn internationals.
The vast majority of teams in world rugby would have continued picking him, yet Galthié is set to name Pau’s 21-year-old Théo Attissogbe at number 14 against Ireland.
Attissogbe is another player who missed November due to injury, but he has convinced the France boss with his return for high-flying Pau.
He made a strong start to last year’s Six Nations, scoring two tries against Italy before he was dropped when Penaud came back in against England a week later. Penaud was dropped after the defeat to the English, with Attissogbe scoring another try against Italy in Round 3, yet Galthié went back to Penaud for the last two games.
Attissogbe impressed on France’s tour of New Zealand last summer, starting once at fullback and twice on the wing, and now looks set for his first appearance against Ireland.
Uncapped Toulon wing Gaël Dréan, who has 12 tries in 14 starts for his club this season, is the other contender for the right wing spot.
The French bench could be boosted by the return of the dynamic hooker Peato Mauvaka, who missed November with injury, although Bordeaux’s Maxime Lamothe is playing very well and will be hard to leave out.
If France continue with their 6/2 policy, Lamothe could be joined by the likes of Toulouse props Rodrigue Neti and Dorian Aldegheri, Pau lock Hugo Auradou, Meafou, and Montpellier back row Lenni Nouchi as the replacement forwards.
Toulon scrum-half Baptiste Serin is back in the squad and will hope to play for the first time since France’s trip to South America in 2024, while Toulouse’s 20-year-old centre Kalvin Gourgues will be hard to ignore for the number 23 shirt.
Among the 14 players Galthié has released for Top14 duty this weekend are Cameron Woki, Temo Matiu, Cyril Baille, and Alexandre Fischer. They’d start for some nations, but they’re surplus to France’s requirements.
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