French rugby has always been well stocked with boeuf but now it has added lashings of exceptionally tangy moutarde and the whole dish is mighty tasty — as evidenced by their brilliant first try against Ireland at the weekend. Covid scares permitting, the team are the stars of this Six Nations — and annoyingly good-looking too. The next World Cup is in France and will be the most glamorous World Cup ever. It might also be an opportunity to get some of your francs on the host nation, at appetising odds of around 6-1.
The French defence, discipline and game management is pretty flawless: take a bow Shaun Edwards, who England have inexplicably failed to sign over a number of years. The way the French closed out the game at the end with a resurgent Irish on the charge was hugely impressive. The set-piece is solid and the midfield is fluent, incisive and fast. It’s a pity fullback Brice Dulin doesn’t have an English granny: he’d do a better job than Elliot Daly, who is missing tackles and doesn’t seem to have the spirit for the job any more. In flanker and skipper Charles Ollivon and the elusive scrum half Antoine Dupont, the French have two of the outstanding players of the tournament.
The pace at which all the other big teams play compared with England is troubling
England might have beaten Italy but it was like the under-16s taking on the school First XV. The pace at which all the other big teams play compared with England is troubling. Eddie Jones should take much of the blame but the English midfield, led by Owen Farrell, seems incapable of upping the tempo.
Wales, blessed with the outstanding winger of the Six Nations, have played more than 90 minutes against 14 men but are still only six points to the good — and could have lost both matches, to Ireland and to Scotland.
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