34 - 31

36 - 20

21 - 31

45 - 14

19 - 13

36 - 38

28 - 44

31 - 33

26 - 47

21 - 15

40 - 17

38 - 38

43 - 17

31 - 26

17 - 50

32 - 15

54 - 19

27 - 15

33 - 61

WOMENS

46 - 7

41 - 17

45 - 14

38 - 40

59 - 7

59 - 17

28 - 69

WOMENS

26 - 41

27 - 20

31 - 7

33 - 12

WOMENS

15 - 24

26 - 7

27 - 51

17 - 76

35 - 12

24 - 26

International

'The World Cup... I'm not sure it's going to happen for them'

Josh Raisey

27 Nov 2024

France's scrum-half Antoine Dupont looks on prior to the Autumn Nations Series International rugby union test match between France and Japan at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, suburb of Paris, on November 9, 2024. (Photo by Bertrand GUAY / AFP)

Despite going unbeaten in the Autumn Nations Series, which included a victory over the All Blacks, former South Africa prop Hanyani Shimange believes France’s travelling policy will prohibit them from winning a World Cup.

Fabien Galthie travelled with a weakened squad to Argentina in July, where they drew 1-1 with the Pumas, and will do so again next year against the All Blacks in a three-Test series.

Given the length and intensity of the Top 14, France are effectively forced into holding their best players back for these summer tours. But this prevents France from ever being “uncomfortable away from home,” according to Shimange, which will affect their hopes of winning a World Cup.

The Boks Office team of the Autumn Nations Series | RPTV

Boks Office pick their best 15 from the Autumn Nations Series matches. Watch the full Boks Office episode on RugbyPass TV now

Watch now

The Boks Office team of the Autumn Nations Series | RPTV

Boks Office pick their best 15 from the Autumn Nations Series matches. Watch the full Boks Office episode on RugbyPass TV now

Watch now

That was of course not a problem for them last year with a home World Cup, but they will now have to try and lift the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time on Australian soil in 2027.

Speaking on RugbyPass TV’s Boks Office podcast, the nine-cap Bok questioned whether this current policy is the best thing for France.

Fixture

Six Nations

France

43 - 0

Full-time

Wales

All Stats and Data

“France is a weird one for me,” he said. “It’s the touring thing I don’t enjoy. They’re sending a B team to New Zealand. I think that affects them come World Cup time. As good as they are at home, they beat New Zealand, they beat Argentina, if these guys don’t get uncomfortable away from home, the World Cup I’m not sure it’s going to happen for them.”

Joining Shimange on the podcast, Schalk Burger said that there was a lot to like about French rugby currently, but pointed out that they play in “pockets”, which may not always be enough to get the team over the line.

“They’re a quality side,” Burger said. “Like this weekend against Argentina, Argentina bossed the stats with ball carries, they had most of the possession, territory is normally quite even against them. But then they’ve got some firepower when they get into your 22. That first try is the blueprint for them- back ball, Dupont round the corner, forwards stay on top of the ball and they score within two or three phases.

“They produce a lot of players. They’re similar to South Africa where new players step up and they just look like world-class players.

“They play in these pockets. They can’t keep that tempo there for 80 minutes. For this weekend, they played 20 minutes of rugby and that was good enough to put them away.”