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New twist sees Romain Ntamack's Six Nations ban extended
By Josh Raisey
France fly-half Romain Ntamack will now miss round three of the Guinness Six Nations against Italy after a failed attempt to bypass his two-match ban.
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The 25-year-old was handed a six-week ban following his round-one red card against Wales for a dangerous tackle on opposite man Ben Thomas, but that was halved due to his disciplinary record and then reduced by a further week if he took part in World Rugby’s coaching intervention programme, which has done already.
The Toulouse star was therefore expected to miss the round two loss to England at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, and this weekend’s Top 14 fixture against ASM Clermont Auvergne, ready to return for the match at the Stadio Olimpico the following week. Ntamack was not included in France’s list of 19 protected players released on the Sunday after the England defeat, allowing him to return to his club albeit while still banned.
However, French outlet Midi Olympique revealed that the fly-half had appeared before a disciplinary committee again on Monday, where it was determined that he would have been one of the protected players and would not initially have been expected to play in the Top 14 fixture on Sunday. His ban was therefore extended to the next match he would have been expected to play, against Italy in round three of the Championship.
France will be looking to bounce back from their 26-25 defeat in London when they arrive in Rome, and to also avenge their 13-13 draw with the Azzurri in Lille last year. They will have to do it without Ntamack, however, who will be eligible for France’s titanic round four clash with Ireland in Dublin.
Ntamack’s replacement against England, Matthieu Jalibert, has been retained in Fabien Galthie’s 19-man contingent.
France’s protected players
Gregory Alldritt
Uini Atonio
Cyril Baille
Pierre-Louis Barassi
Louis Bielle-Biarrey
Paul Boudehent
François Cros
Antoine Dupont
Jean-Baptiste Gros
Matthieu Jalibert
Oscar Jegou
Nolann Le Garrec
Julien Marchand
Peato Mauvaka
Emmanuel Meafou
Yoram Moefana
Damian Penaud
Thomas Ramos
Alexandre Roumat
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A bit of a joke, the first time a player is only banned for international games and not for club games. Hope he will do a great game against Ireland. Maybe a little warm-up this weekend with Toulouse 😅
So what was available for Owen Farrell before 2023 six nations, after his fourth or fifth ban for hight tackle is not available for Romain N'Tamack ,who is ban for the first time. Maybe a change in the law ? Or just french paranoïa ?
To be fair - the situations are somewhat different.
Farrell was a very reckless tackler with a history of dangerous challenges, who should have received longer bans throughout his career for irresponsible technique.
Ntamack doesn't have the same history as Farrell but it's clear that it was a deliberate, malicious act to try and hurt a player which deserves a long ban. The Wales player had put in a big tackle on Ntamack previously and Ntamack retaliated by deliberately smashing him in the head. I'm sure it was a moment of madness which he regrets and wouldn't do again, Ntamack doesn't seem to be a dirty player but this does need to be punished severely. I don't think there can be any complaints about a long ban for Ntamack? Tout me semble just et je dois dire que je suis un grand fan des Bleus!