It can feel that rugby is a game of clichés at times, especially
as the 6 Nations starts, and it must be hard to find a country they’re applied
to more than the French. The “mercurial” Les Bleus have often been known for
putting the slickest attacking moves on show, but since their last tournament
win – their 2010 Grand Slam – they’ve been simply flat. Much has been expected
of Philippe Saint Andre but for various reasons his time at the helm of France,
barring one very impressive set of Autumn internationals, has been a massive
disappointment. Fourth in 2012, France won just once, and that on the final
day, and ended up in a wooden spoon shutout with Ireland of all nations after a
championship that started badly and went to worse.
The influx of riches into the top 14, where the alack of a
salary cap sees top forigen prospects filling most of the league, let alone the
top sides, has been bemoaned as a hindrances by Saint-Andre, especially at
flyhalf where many French clubs have foreign number 10’s or kickers. Step
forward Jules Plission of Stade Francais, who receives his first cap against
England on the first weekend and becomes the tenth halfback combination in two
years for Les Blueus under the current management.
Plission’s standout performances for Stade Francis, who lead
the top 14 at this moment in time, have involved a fine range of passing so
impressive that even big money signing Morne Steyn, who has been so integral to
South Africa’s rise to number 2 in the world, has been kept out. If the drop
goal expert – he has 10 in 44 league games and 5 in 19 Amlin Cup games – adapts
to test level rugby, then his style of play suggests that he can be the
operator the backs need.
How he links with Jean Marc Doussain, a similarly young solid,
robust operator who can be expected to be the anchor of the French territorial
game, will be vital to feeding an uber talented French backline which centres
around Wesley Fofana’s explosive performance, and they will be hoping for quick
ball off the back of Louis Picamoles, a perfect link between forwards and backs
and a tryscoring threat all of his own. “The Iceberg” made 421 meters with ball
in hand and scored two tries last year and similar heroics are a must if France
are to make it 5 post Lions tour titles.
In the pack, there are concerns about Montpellier’s Nicolas
Mas not hitting the heights of old, but those do not come close to matching the
immense loss of Theirry Dustatoir’s huge tackle and carry rate with his injury
that sees him miss the tournament. Pascal Pape has the class to drive the pack
although his in discipline will need to be rolled into line, but if he forms a partnership
with Alexandre Flanquart then there’s hope for an engine room to tackle the
giant packs of England, Wales, and Ireland. Hosting two of them is a big win
and a win against England sets them up to take momentum into their big clash
with Wales in week three, but there are still come question marks lingering
over their performance for us to back them solidly.
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