Easterby hits back at France's conduct in the wake of Dupont injury

Ireland interim boss Simon Easterby has expressed disappointment with accusatory comments made by France head coach Fabien Galthie regarding the Antoine Dupont injury incident.

Les Bleus won 42-27 in Dublin last weekend to end Ireland’s Grand Slam hopes and move into pole position for the Guinness Six Nations title.

But the post-match discussion was dominated by the season-ending knee issue suffered by France captain Dupont.

The 28-year-old scrum-half ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament when Ireland forwards Tadhg Beirne and Andrew Porter cleared out a ruck.

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Galthie branded the actions of Beirne and Porter “reprehensible” and reported the pair to the match’s citing commissioner, albeit no retrospective action has been taken.

“Without getting myself into trouble here, I just think it’s the game unfortunately,” said Easterby, whose side are preparing to complete the championship away to Italy on Saturday afternoon.

“No player goes out to intentionally injure another player. For everyone, or for the majority of people watching, looking at it afterwards, everyone felt like it was a rugby incident which was really unfortunate.

“Whatever the insinuations were from different people post-game, it’s disappointing because the unfortunate thing is people who don’t really understand the game pick up on it.”

Dupont – widely regarded as the world’s best player – was attempting to steal the ball in the 28th minute when lock Beirne landed on his right leg as prop Porter joined the ruck.

Easterby said the post-match remarks from the French camp created a situation where “people are getting abuse”.

“It’s just unnecessary and not acceptable,” he said. “It happens, we know it happens, but those things could have been avoided had maybe other things been said post-game by certain individuals.

“The French camp have obviously come out pretty strongly and it could have been handled in a better way.

“On the back of that, it’s created some unnecessary ill-feeling and it has affected other people in the wider group.”

Following last weekend’s loss, Ireland have only a slim chance of clinching a historic third-consecutive Six Nations title.

The back-to-back champions must win in Rome and then hope second-placed England and the table-topping French slip up against Wales and Scotland respectively.

Fly-half Jack Crowley will start at Stadio Olimpico after being back-up to Sam Prendergast in the opening four rounds of the tournament.

The 25-year-old’s recall comes amid reports he could join Gallagher Premiership side Leicester when his Munster contract expires at the end of the season.

Easterby, who has made six changes to his starting XV, is “confident” Crowley will remain in Ireland.

“Jack knows how important he is to us,” he said. “Regardless of selection across the last four games, he understands the role that he has and the standing he has in the group.

“He’s a great pro, he’s always looking to get better and we believe that for him to keep getting better, keeping getting experiences at this level and keep driving us forward as a team and being competitive in the number 10 position in particular, it’s important that he obviously plays his rugby in Ireland.

“And we are confident that will continue to happen.”