
Wary France are readying for an all-out Irish assault when the two autumn conquerors of the All Blacks meet in the Six Nations on Saturday.
Wary France are readying for an all-out Irish assault when the two autumn conquerors of the All Blacks meet in the Six Nations on Saturday.
France have recognised the need to cut down their penalty count if they are to get the better of Six Nations opponents Ireland.
Gael Fickou admits pressure is mounting on the hugely talented French to lift the Six Nations title.
This is Fabien Galthie’s third Six Nations as Les Bleus’ head coach and everything has changed since his first one in 2020. Today, 20 matches into his 40-match countdown to the 2023 World Cup, and despite Covid-19, France expects.
The message, as Fabien Galthie prepares for a third Covid-affected Six Nations as France head coach, comes straight out of a Shakespeare play rather than one by his native wordsmith, Moliere: What’s past is prologue.
The Top 14 returned for a two-weekend run between the Autumn Internationals and the scheduled start of the European competitions.
The Top 14 returned after a three-week international break for two rounds ahead of the start of the European competitions, with England head coach Eddie Jones in the south-west of the country, watching a match featuring a player in action for Montpellier he routinely overlooked.
Very pleased to be asked to write the French bit to this analysis of the 2021 November internationals … especially when I discovered the illustrious company I was in…
The Springboks are still world No 1, but the chasing pack are closing in – and they are all from the northern hemisphere – though who would dare write off the All Blacks?
You’d be forgiven for thinking – especially after World Rugby’s sanction against Rassie Erasmus following his video rant after the First Lions Test and the more general outpouring of social media bile against individual referees when they make a decision one team’s fans don’t like – that relations between officials and teams was in freefall.
Top 14 side Biarritz look set to remain where they belong – in the heart of the Basque Country – following an apparent easing of relations between club and city council that had threatened to send the club running to the other end of the country.