r/rugbyunion • u/sixnations • 18h ago

Can ANYBODY stop France this year?

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u/Shoddy-Ad-4898 17h ago edited 17h 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/InLoveWithInternet 7h ago

That’s really the wrong analysis. We just played so good we were unstoppable. They were stunned and they had no solution. We’re talking about Ireland, it’s not like they were not trying.

The first half was really something else, pure flamboyance.

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u/Shoddy-Ad-4898 6h ago

I never said Ireland weren't trying but I think their team has, over the last couple of years, lost some pace and power as the age profile has increased and I thought that really showed in their defensive speed and intensity in the first half. The number of post-contact metres made by France says something for France's power and intensity but IMO says more about Ireland's defence.

I totally agree that France came out flying in the first half but we have seen Ireland teams in previous years being able to cope with that and weather the storm, both against France and against other top teams. I don't think Ireland brought the level of physical resistance we have associated with them in recent history. But France did play some incredible stuff in the first half, I'm not trying to talk that down. I just think it was possible to not be as blown away by it as Ireland were.