War veteran visit inspires France to make their mark in history

Gregory Alldritt has urged France to make their mark on history by closing out Guinness Six Nations glory against Scotland in Paris on Saturday night.

The Stade de France will be packed with expectant Les Bleus supporters for the championship finale, with the hosts knowing victory will secure their first title since 2022 and only their second triumph since 2010.

France could even be crowned champions before their match kicks off at 20:00 (GMT) in the unlikely event that both England and Ireland – the two other contenders – slip up earlier in the day.

“There’s a lot of excitement, it matters to all of us,” said La Rochelle back-rower Alldritt, who will captain the side in the absence of Antoine Dupont, who suffered an ACL injury against Ireland last weekend.

“We’re all motivated and we all can’t wait for tomorrow night. It has been a formidable Six Nations so far.

“A title would be a further step for us, there’s nothing mundane in that. Lifting a title, leaving your mark on history, seeing family members smiling in the crowds, making them proud are unforgettable moments. That’s what you play for.

“Our visit to Invalides (war veteran museum and residency) strengthened that, speaking to those war veterans, they said they are sensitive to our results. It adds a little more desire to what we do in the week and why we wear the shirt on the weekend.”

France have bounced back emphatically from their match-day two defeat away to England to crush Ireland and Italy and assert themselves in pole position for the title.

“We’ve progressed,” said Alldritt of their ascent to the top of the table. “I believe a lot in destiny, so I asked myself, would we have put in such performances against Ireland and Italy if we had won in England? We’ll never know.

“But we’ve progressed little by little, compared to other years too. It’s the last game of the Six Nations, we have the cards in our hands, which was different to many previous years. We’ve matured, become more consistent and I hope we’ll prove that once again tomorrow night.”

Alldritt, who has led the team in the absence of the talismanic Dupont before, insisted being captain “changes nothing at all” in terms of Les Bleus’ approach.

“We’re at the end of a Six Nations, the system has been in place since the start,” he said. “We’ve continued with what we’ve been working for seven weeks. No changes, strictly nothing.

“I’m captain this weekend but our captain for the Six Nations, and France’s captain remains Antoine. I have a dream in my mind and I hope it will become reality tomorrow.”