Sam Warburton reveals his ‘one reservation’ about Ireland ahead of France’s ‘physical assault’ as verdict given on decisive Six Nations clash
Ireland and France both huddle ahead of 2025 Six Nations clash, and Wales and Lions legend Sam Warburton.
Multiple Six Nations winner Sam Warburton has assessed the massive encounter between Ireland and France, and where the visitors can target the defending champions.
Simon Easterby’s men are striving for an unprecedented three-peat and have looked pretty imperious so far, but they will have to get past Les Bleus first.
Should the Irishmen manage to overcome the French, that would pretty much confirm the Six Nations title, as well as the Grand Slam – their second in three seasons – with just Italy to come.
However, there is hope for France, according to Warburton, who believes that Fabien Galthie’s outfit have the capabilities of overpowering the Six Nations table-toppers.
Where France can target Ireland
The British and Irish Lions legend also reckons that they can get the edge in the scrum, despite it generally being a stable platform for Ireland.
It ended honours even against England before they utterly dominated Scotland in the set-piece, but Warburton’s view comes as a result of the Wales clash which saw them struggle up front.
“Can France learn anything from Ireland’s 27-18 victory over Wales in Cardiff? Well, this is something I have mentioned before, but Wales were physically so good in that match — probably the best I’ve seen them since the victory over Australia in the 2023 World Cup,” he wrote in his Times column.
“That is the one reservation I have about Ireland — that if teams can match them physically then, as Wales proved, it goes a long, long way towards being competitive in a match.
“Given France are obviously more physical than Wales, that will be an area to target; as will be the scrum, because the French will be licking their lips about how well Wales did there in Cardiff.
“You can be sure that at their forwards meeting this week France would have been showing clips of the first-half scrums in particular in Cardiff, where Wales really surprised Ireland.”
Ireland favourites
Despite the threat that France will inevitably pose, Ireland go into the match as favourites and a win will go a long way to securing a historic Six Nations title.
Easterby’s men were slightly less convincing in the triumph over a rejuvenated Wales, but they managed to get the job done eventually.
And Warburton thinks that they will show a significant improvement in Dublin this weekend to take them closer to the promised land.
“I think they will beat France next Saturday. They will be so much better than they were against Wales. It may have been just the jolt they needed,” he added.
“They will be too precise and accurate for a France team that just looks too loose to me, they will withstand the French physical assault, and they will take the title for the third year in succession — something no side has ever done before — and take a grand slam too. But it will be some battle in Dublin.”
