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France player ratings vs England | 2026 Guinness Six Nations
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Why back-to-back France are so far behind the World Cup standard
By Ben Smith
France are rugby’s new attacking juggernaut after completing back-to-back Six Nations titles since 2006-07, gorging on the defences like a cheap all-you-can-eat buffet over the last two years.
Only one side had ever scored 200+ points in the expanded Six Nations campaign, the 2001 England team, who won the title but not a Grand Slam. France scored over 200 points in both 2025 and 2026, becoming the second and third teams to ever do it.
However, the difference between 2001 England and 2025-26 France is the defence. The defensive resolve of European rugby has weakened, where the top sides would concede only 60-80 points over their title runs.
2026 was the first ever year in the expanded Six Nations that every team conceded over a 100 points, and France became the first ever champion to do so.
Over the last two weeks of their 2026 campaign, defence has been rather optional for France, conceding 96 points to close out the championship. This is catastrophically bad for the team that are Europe’s top contender for 2027.
Over those two games they deviated largely from their high volume kick plan, only kicking 20 times against Scotland and 26 times against England. This is a team that averages over 30 in most Six Nations campaigns under Fabien Galthie.
Over four Six Nations tournaments from 2020-2023, France finished 2nd in total kicks three times, and 3rd in the other. The entire 2023 Rugby World Cup game plan for France was smash the ball downfield from Antoine Dupont’s leg and defend, defend, defend.
This version of France, a high-scoring, high-octane entertainment machine, is a new identity for the team.
They’ve uncovered the world’s best winger Louis Bielle-Bierrey, who has transcended beyond the position. As a rugby player, he is one of the most influential forces in the game, breaking apart defences with raw speed and instinctual precision.
He’s finished as the Six Nations’ leading try scorer two years in a row, fuelling the points-scoring spree that France have been on. During this year’s campaign he added four try assists to his nine tries. He bested his total of eight from last year’s haul that earnt him a World Player of the Year nomination. A four-try effort against England in the 48-46 shoot out has likely cemented Bielle-Bierrey nomination again in 2026.
Having Bielle-Bierrey along with Damian Penaud has been a turbocharger. Penaud was already in the conversation as one of the top three wingers in the world. He was the Championship’s leading try-scorer in 2023. The pair of them make France seemingly uncontainable.
Dupont, regarded as the world’s best talent since 2020, is still as influential as ever. He had seven try assists in the 2025 title run, by far a career high, and added five more in 2026. During the 2022 Grand Slam he had just two try assists.
After losing Romain Ntamack to injury, Matthieu Jalibert stepped up for his finest campaign as France’s No.10 in 2026. He finished with six try assists, a more than impressive double act with Antoine Dupont.
The Dupont-Ntamack partnership is hard to replicate, with both playing for Toulouse over a number of years building irreplaceable chemistry. But Jalibert has done a fine job in 2026.
At fullback Thomas Ramos is as good as they come as a goal kicker. He iced six from six against England which proved vital. He’s a highly skilled, versatile player in France’s backline.
They have the perfect playmakers to unleash the perfect finishers.
However, this historic, prolific points-scoring machine that has run up historic numbers in Europe over the last two years is likely in for a rude awakening. The unfortunate reality is that these powerhouse attacking teams don’t really win Rugby World Cups.
France conceded an average of 26 points per game in the Championship, not helped by the avalanche conceded in the final two weeks, which is well above the defensive standard held by those who lift the William Webb Ellis trophy.
The Springboks held the 14-man All Blacks to 11 points in 2023. The 14-man All Blacks held the Springboks to just 12 points. Either way you cut it, defence shaped that final and either team could have won.
In 2019, the Springboks held England to just 12 points. In 2015, the All Black held the Wallabies to 17. In 2011, the final was 8-7. In 2007, England were kept to six points. England kept the Wallabies to 17 points in 2003.
The teams that win the Rugby World Cup have very tight defences. France does not have that.
They have a bunch of stars that can light up Stade de France from the comfort of their home patch. They barely venture outside Europe, caged up by their Top 14 owners during the travel window.
Now the conditions in Australia next year will suit fast, attacking rugby. It will be warm and the pitches will entice a fast game. As the tournament progresses it will get hot and possibly muggy, with sweat and stickiness impacting play.
Most of this French team have never been there before, and as of right now, they are built to outlast teams rather than restrict.
And that’s why they are currently on a path to World Cup disappointment.
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