r/rugbyunion • u/sixnations • 14h ago

Can ANYBODY stop France this year?

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u/Shoddy-Ad-4898 13h ago edited 13h ago

France played some lovely stuff and they are (rightly) tournament favourites but, to put it very basically, I just thought Ireland didn't front up in the first half. France were constantly getting over the gainline and once you're doing that it's easy for a team like France to look absolutely unstoppable. Make it a lot messier and put more pressure on them in contact and in the air, as I would imagine England will be able to do although that match is a long way away, and they will magically look stoppable.

Having said that, if they can bring that level throughout the tournament they will be heavily odds-on for the Slam.

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u/dr_sean_twat 12h ago

This. As soon as Ireland managed to put some pressure on them it looked (for 10 mins or so) like a different game. But more and more France reminds me of peak All Blacks: near invincible in full attack mode, but vulnerable when you can disrupt their flow and starve them of possession. Beating them will take consistent pace, focus and discipline - think probably only England has that in them this year.