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Five talking points: Shaun Edwards, Dupont and Wales' sacrificial lamb
France face the next challenge in their bid for a first Six Nations title and Grand Slam since 2010 when they tackle Wales on Friday.
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Les Bleus head to Cardiff in confident mood after beating Ireland, Scotland and Italy, and opening up a three-point gap as tournament leaders.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the key talking points ahead of an eagerly-awaited Principality Stadium encounter.
France in formidable form
France’s 12-year wait for Six Nations silverware will end if they beat Wales and then topple England in Paris next week. Not since the days of players like Clement Poitrenaud, Yannick Jauzion, Thierry Dusautoir and Imanol Harinordoquy have they conquered Europe, but odds are short on them achieving it this time around. Fabien Galthie’s team, mixing vibrant attack with fierce defence and immense physical power up-front, are unbeaten in six Tests this season. If they can cope with the expectation and pressure that now surrounds them, then Six Nations success is surely just around the corner.
Wales not fazed by the challenge
Wales’ hopes of a successful Six Nations title defence were effectively ended by a 23-19 defeat against England at Twickenham last time out. A strong second-half performance, though, saw them score three tries after trailing by 17 points, and they have toppled France in four of the last five Six Nations home fixtures, while also winning eight from 12 across all competitions since Les Bleus beat them in the 2011 World Cup semi-finals. Wales field 11 of the match-day 23 on Friday that were involved in an agonising Grand Slam-ending loss to Les Bleus last season, providing added motivation.
Shaun Edwards’ case for the defence
Wales’ former defence coach is a serial winner, whether as a rugby league playing great or in accomplished track-suited roles with Wasps, Wales and France. Edwards was part of Warren Gatland’s Wales coaching team between 2008 and 2019, a period that delivered four Six Nations titles, three Grand Slams and a World Cup semi-final appearance. He left to join the France set-up more than two years ago, and he has transformed Les Bleus’ defensive structure and attitude. The Wales players know exactly what they are up against.
Tough on Taine
Flanker Taine Basham has been one of Wales’ most consistent performers this season, making his mark against high-calibre opponents during an impressive first year of Test rugby. With the experienced Josh Navidi now fit, though, Wales head coach Wayne Pivac will field a reshaped back-row of Navidi, Seb Davies and Taulupe Faletau, with Ross Moriarty providing bench cover. Basham misses out completely after starting the England game 12 days ago. Pivac said: “He is a young player who has played a lot of big games in a row. He started to, I think, just make a few errors in the last game.”
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Antoine Dupont top of the Friday night bill
There will be plenty of headline acts performing on the Principality Stadium pitch, but no-one arguably more watchable than France captain and current world player of the year Dupont. The gifted scrum-half drives his team through a dazzling array of skills and tactical appreciation, and Friday night under the lights in Cardiff is exactly the type of stage he will relish. “He is probably the form player in the world,” acknowledged Wales boss Pivac. “Even when you are sitting in the opposition coaches’ box, some of the things he does on the field you find yourself just saying ‘well done’.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments