Six Nations preview: France’s ‘golden generation’ led by ‘genius’ Antoine Dupont to deliver for Fabien Galthie
Francois Cros, Fabien Galthie and Antoine Dupont will look to guide France to Six Nations glory.
Last up in our set of previews ahead of the 2025 Six Nations we examine the prospects of last year’s runners-up, Fabien Galthie’s France.
French Rugby is on fire. Witness the Investec Champions Cup and the sheer artillery of the French club sides beggars belief as Bordeaux, Toulouse and Toulon have smashed their way into qualification in matches that are such a horror show for their opponents that they should carry an X-rated parental warning.
But at international level, there’s a sense of frustration that this golden generation of players are punching well below their weight in terms of Test success; the Rugby World Cup quarter-final may be mitigated by discussing controversial and obviously poor refereeing decisions, the sheer quality of the match and so on, but in simple terms there’s a big letter ‘L’ on the result line of that game, a scar that reaches right down to the bones and structure of the French game.
One Grand Slam in five years is simply not a big enough return on investment for the galaxy of stars France have at their disposal. Their 2024 Autumn Nations Series vacillated between frenetic and headless as they searched for a way of combining the natural flair of their players with the rigours of Test physicality and the bottom line is that many in France are suggesting it’s time for Galthie to deliver silverware or fall on his sword.
Last year
France suffered from two key absentees last season; the absence of the great Antoine Dupont, on a Sevens sabbatical, and the loss of their traditional home.
Forced to take Test rugby on the road due to the unavailability of Stade de France (as it was being refurbished for the Olympics), France’s campaign was derailed when just leaving the station, as Ireland, powered by Joe McCarthy, turned them over 38-17 in Marseille. But it was more the red card for lock Paul Willemse that caused the train to crash, as he was dismissed in the 30th minute, after first attracting a yellow card in the seventh.
A close game in Murrayfield saw Louis Bielle-Biarrey taking the points on France’s behalf, but further indiscipline against Italy saw Jonathan Danty see red and France scrape a draw, as Ange Capuozzo popped up to deny his French pals a win.
With Gregory Alldritt restored to the team after an horrendous knee gash suffered against Scotland, Nolann le Garrec and Emmanuel Meafou inspired France to a trouncing in Cardiff as France left Wales reeling with a scoreline of 45-24. England travelled to Lyon for the last game, a classic that saw Leo Barre and Francois Cros put in brilliant personal performances as France just snook over the line after Ollie Lawrence, who scored two tries, and Marcus Smith inspired a thundering English fightback. The final score was 33-31, as the travelling support fell in love with the charm of Lyon and the French public fell back in love with Les Bleus.
With the EPCR and Top 14 competitions going deep into June, a very understrength French side toured Argentina to blood youngsters, whilst a thrilling Autumn Nations Series, where Galthie wielded the axe on selection with impunity to send a message out to what he perceived were his complacent superstars, saw France defeat New Zealand, in a one point thriller, Argentina and Japan in a clean sweep for November.
This year
The headlines in France revolve around two themes; the form of the Champions Cup and Top 14 leaders and the injury list that’s severely handicapping selectorial continuity, but, on the other hand, offering Galthie a chance to explore new blood.
That injury list – it features some high profile names; defensive leader Gael Fickou misses the first three rounds with a broken thumb, whilst lineout leader and world class flank, Charles Ollivon, is unavailable for the entire campaign, suffering a second ACL rupture of his injury-blighted career. With wonderful French whimsy, it’s the defence and organisation of Fickou that France will miss, but in the case of Ollivon, it’s nigh on impossible to replace his Test scoring record – as he tops the all-time try-per-game average of any Tier One forward in the history of international rugby, crossing the whitewash once every 2.75 matches.
Factor in short-term injuries to Thibaud Flament and Damian Penuad and France’s campaign is sure to see some new faces as Galthie will be forced to make changes.
France host two and have three on the road, but crucially one of those away games sees them travel to Ireland in Round Three in a game that might decide the standings of both teams, with a finale in Paris as they host Scotland, a side that may well be in contention for the Six Nations title as they reach the ultimate round.
However, despite the height of these hurdles, the expectation within France is binary; a Grand Slam is the only thing that can salve the pain of underachievement by this generational side and the players are well aware of the responsibility that lies on their shoulders.
Criticism has been harsh around Les Bleus’ professionalism and of training regimes. Indeed, Toulouse flanker Francois Cros told Planet Rugby exclusively about his frustrations with the team’s attitude to fitness and preparation during the World Cup, citing a party mentality within the squad at crucial moments. Cros has been one of the leading voices in calling out the laissez-faire approach to hard graft of his teammates, recently also going on record with Midol as saying that ‘things have to change in attitudes if we are to deliver what we’re capable of’. In short, it is key that France move forward balancing the culture of French Rugby with the need to fulfil the potential of this brilliant group of players.
Key players
France will need new bricks around the mortar that has held their team together for so long. But the structure of their game plan is the incomparable Toulouse midfield spine of Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack and the magnificent Thomas Ramos, a trio of players that have an almost telepathic understanding of each others’ games.
Their ability to ignite a game is all about the ‘inside’; they take the inside line, they cut inside down the pitch and they go wide to cut back to inside support. It’s a mastery of rugby space – drawing sides wide to extend defences then attacking down the middle with thunderclap surprise, all done at breathtaking pace, setting the standard for potency with ball in hand for any team in the world.
However, that plan needs fast ruck ball and the French plan is to use the massive frames of Emmanuel Meafou and Gregory Alldritt to crash the ball up, with the brilliance of Cros, surely the most consistent flanker in the Six Nations at the moment, and Julien Marchand clearing and clattering rucks as if their lives depended on it.
Factor in the flying wings, Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey, and the speed of France is something to behold, but make no mistake, it all starts with that speed of ruck and the precision and vision of the genius at nine, Dupont.
Players to watch
With the enforced changes in midfield and back-row, the biggest winners are likely to be La Rochelle flank Paul Boudehent, a man in superb form and key in the win against New Zealand, and Toulouse’s electric centre, Pierre-Louis Barassi, a man who’s been in scintillating form for his club, covering both 12 and 13 due to the injuries of others, notably Santiago Chocobares and Pita Ahki.
Barassi tore La Rochelle apart in the Top 14 earlier this season, as he delivered a statement performance that’s seen him move to a regular start for the Rouge et Noirs and he brings real straight line gas into the centres that have perhaps has become a little lateral in recent years.
Alexandre Roumat is likely also to feature as a utility back five player, moving between lock and back-row just as his illustrious father, 61 time capped Olivier Roumat, did for France before him. With Flament out of the first round, 6’7″ Roumat, more usually seen at number eight, is likely to fill in at lock in the short term.
Prospects
France are slow starters but they host Wales under lights in Paris on Friday, January 31 and if there was any fixture you’d like first up, this might be the one you’d pick. A visit to a likely-wounded England follows, and if the script goes to plan it’s Dublin for the match of the tournament, where France should have Flament, Penaud and possibly even Fickou back.
It all hinges on that Dublin encounter; France are the definition of a momentum team and if they go to Ireland with tries and form under their belt, it could be one of the closest games in an age. Win that and the Blue Machine momentum will take them all the way. First.
Fixtures
Friday, January 31 v Wales (Stade de France, Paris)
Saturday, February 8 v England (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)
Sunday, February 23 v Italy (Stadio Olimpico, Rome)
Saturday, March 8 v Ireland (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
Saturday, March 15 v Scotland (Stade de France, Paris)