On March 12, 2010, France defeated England 12-10 to complete the grand slam. France haven’t won a Six Nations since. They are now one game away from returning to the top of European International rugby.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt is a barren spell that is even more striking given that when the Five Nations became the Six Nations in 2000, France won five out of the first 11 tournaments. Not only have they not won the competition since, but they have also only finished in the top two twice, in 2011 and 2021.
Added to the victories of the 2000’s their back-to-back grand slams in 1997 and 1998 make their period in the wilderness even more surprising.
Furthermore, the fate of the French National team since 2010 and by extension 2011, where they lost 8-7 in the World Cup Final to New Zealand. is more emphatic considering they boast the richest league in the world.
One might think that investment and financial power could and should lead to success but as the English Premier League in football has shown, that is by no means a guarantee of success.
French clubs have recruited heavily and again like the English Premier League a lot of that recruitment has been for overseas players.
At club level for example, Toulon won an unprecedented three Heineken/ European Cups in a row from 2013-2015.
However, the make-up of their winning teams were anything but French.
In the 2013 final, Toulon had four French Players in their starting lineup, in 2014, they had three and in 2015 they had four.
In those finals less than a fifth of the starting fifteen were French which could be a factor as to why their form has been dire over the last decade.
Despite their club game being as strong as ever the plight of the National Team plummeted.
In 2013 France lost to Italy and finished bottom of the Six Nations, emphasizing their decline from a Grand Slam in 2010 and World Cup final appearance in 2011.
All sides have cycles and that 2010 team for France was perhaps coming to the end of one.
Some of their great players of the 2000’s, the likes of Yannick Jauzion, Dimitri Yachvilli, Imanol Harinordoquy and Sebastien Chabal were all beginning to enter the twilight of their careers and unfortunately for France it has taken over a decade to replace them.
Under Phillipe Saint-Andre, Guy Noves and to lesser extent Jacques Brunel the rugby was turgid, often reliant on Mathieu Basteraud to bulldoze through the midfield and put simply there was no excitement in their game.
The great French sides have always possessed an element of attacking exuberance and it became known as ‘French flair’, that has dissipated during this period.
They were thrashed by New Zealand 62-13 in a World Cup final and endured painful defeats in the Six Nations when blowing leads, notably at home to Ireland in 2018 before blowing a 16-0 half time lead against Wales a year later.
They possessed a capacity to blow up, highlighted by Sebastien Vahaamahina’s red card for an elbow which arguably cost them their World Cup quarter final against Wales in 2019.
Embed from Getty ImagesHowever, despite this there were signs under the surface that a French revolution may not be too far away.
In 2018 and 2019 France’s U20’s won the junior World Cup, highlighting a potential and golden generation and so far they’ve made an auspicious start.
Led by Antoine Dupont, who was crowned World Rugby Player of the year in 2020 this side not only could end twelve years of hurt but has the potential to dominate for years.
Their pack is ferociously strong, led by Cyril Baille in the front row and the athleticism of Cameron Woki and Gregory Aldritt is the envy of many.
Outside Dupont his club teammate Romain Ntamack is class personified and after the soild midlfied duo of Gael Fickou and Jonathan Danty they have serious weapons outside them in Gabien Villiere and Damian Penaud who have been electric. Melvyn Jaminet has also been superb from the tee and has cemented a place despite playing in France’s second tier last year.
Credit must go to Falbien Galthie who’s appointment of defence master Shaun Edwards has been a masterstroke in developing this French side so that it is as tough as it is thrilling with ball in hand.
In recent years France would have wilted when Ireland came back at them, folded when Scotland attacked them and crumpled in the cauldron of Cardiff. Not this team.
This side withstood those challenges and are now on the cusp of being back at European Rugby’s precipice with only England standing in their way.
It is the biggest game of Galthie’s era and if they can defeat England in Paris on Saturday it will be a huge moment ahead of their home World Cup in 2023.
Archie Connolly Sport 