Guinness Six Nations: Ireland Vs. France Set To Decide Championship Fate
Guinness Six Nations: Ireland Vs. France Set To Decide Championship Fate
Ireland faces France in a Six Nations showdown at the Aviva. Key battles, tactical shifts and high stakes - who will prevail? Full match preview.
In 2025, no Guinness Six Nations fixture looms larger than Ireland vs. France at the Aviva Stadium.
Gunning for a third consecutive title and a second Grand Slam in three years, Simon Easterby’s Ireland braces for a physical onslaught few teams in test rugby can match.
- Subscribe To FloRugby To Watch Super Rugby Pacific In 2024-25
- Super Rugby Pacific Round 1 | Three Key Takeaways | Strong Aussie Start
- 100 Best Rugby Players In The World: Here's The Full List
- The 25 Best Rugby Clubs In The World On March 5 | FloRugby Rankings
This clash pits contrasting philosophies against one another: the hyper-clinical Irish face off against an ultra-physical, flair-driven Les Bleus.
Team News
Confirming his squad this morning, French head coach Fabien Galthié has opted for a Springbok-like 7-1 bench split, aiming to overpower the men in green. Ireland, matching fire with fire, have gone for a rare 6-2 split, with the versatile Jack Crowley in the 23 jersey, ensuring coverage across multiple positions.
Galthié has doubled down on the strategy that produced a 73-24 demolition of Italy in Round 3, loading his bench with imposing forwards.
Bordeaux scrumhalf Maxime Lucu is the lone back among replacements that include Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille, Dorian Aldegheri, Emmanuel Meafou, Hugo Auradou, Oscar Jégo and Anthony Jelonch.
France has made its intentions clear: expect a brutal, forward-dominated battle.
Of course, such a selection carries risks.
Any injury could force captain Antoine Dupont to shift to fly-half - a move that has delivered mixed results for France and Toulouse.
Easterby, on the other hand, has opted for a blend of experienced operators and explosive young talent. His forward replacements - Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Thomas Clarkson, James Ryan, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan - offer both power and versatility.
A crucial concern for Ireland is the absence of star tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong, a major blow given his ability to anchor the scrum. Finlay Bealham steps in as a reliable replacement, while newcomer Thomas Clarkson faces the toughest test of his young career.
To maintain backline flexibility, Easterby has named Conor Murray and Jack Crowley among the replacements.
Crowley, embroiled in an ongoing battle with Sam Prendergast for the starting fly-half role, is perhaps a victim of his own versatility - capable of slotting in at 10, 12, or 15.
Should Murray enter for any reason other than a direct swap for Jamison Gibson-Park, the starting scrumhalf could shift to the wing.
Key Matchup
The biggest talking point is undoubtedly the bench selections. However, beyond the tactical gamble, this contest also features some tantalizing individual battles: Gregory Alldritt vs. Caelan Doris, Dan Sheehan vs. Peato Mauvaka and Sam Prendergast vs. Romain Ntamack, to name a few.
Yet, the most crucial showdown will be between the two best scrumhalves in world rugby - Dupont and Gibson-Park.
Few would dispute that Dupont has been the game’s most electrifying talent for the past four years.
The Olympic seven gold medalist has dominated club rugby, winning four Top 14 titles and two European Champions Cups. However, his international trophy cabinet remains underwhelming - just one Six Nations title in 2022 and two World Cup quarterfinal exits.
His influence, however, is undeniable. France’s 2024 Six Nations campaign, played largely without him due to his Olympic training, was a disaster.
France was dismantled by Ireland in Paris, edged past Scotland thanks to a controversial TMO call, drew with Italy and struggled against England.
Since his return, Les Bleus have looked imperious - aside from a blip against England - highlighted by a resounding win over the All Blacks in November.
Gibson-Park, meanwhile, has taken a very different path to the top.
The former Māori All Black toiled for four seasons as Leinster’s second choice, before bursting onto the international scene under Andy Farrell.
Since then, he has steadily risen to the sport’s elite, becoming Ireland’s key playmaker in the wake of Johnny Sexton’s retirement. Now the general of Ireland’s attack, he dictates the tempo, providing a crucial support system for young flyhalf Sam Prendergast.
Both scrumhalves know exactly what the other brings. Whoever dictates the game from the base of the ruck will hold the keys to victory.
Prediction
“This is a coin flip game” gets thrown around too often, but in this case, it’s entirely justified. A win for either side would all but seal the Championship, with both teams facing winnable round-five fixtures.
Rather than being decided by a single moment, this match will be won through a series of small victories.
For Ireland, disrupting France’s breakdown efficiency is paramount. If they fail, the French backs will breach the gainline, creating opportunities for Dupont and company.
Additionally, Ireland must improve significantly at the set piece. Currently, the Irish are at the bottom of the Championship for scrum and lineout success. They don’t need dominance, just parity, to launch their structured attack.
France’s path to victory is clearer: leverage its dominant set piece, unleash its electric backline and let Dupont orchestrate. However, recent history favors Ireland. The Irish repeatedly have nullified Dupont and worn down France’s forwards, a trend reflected in Galthié’s decision to stack his bench with reinforcements.
Defensively, these teams differ significantly.
Ireland has embraced the Nienaber philosophy - edgy, stingy and reliant on a long kicking game.
Moving away from the multi-phase rugby that defined their 2020-2024 success, the Irish now are comfortable spending long periods without possession, suffocating opponents through relentless territorial pressure.
France has yet to face such an approach this season, making its response a fascinating subplot.
Ultimately, Ireland’s ability to match the French physicality and slow down their ruck speed could be decisive. If France starts fast, it may overwhelm their hosts. But if Ireland withstands the early barrage, the Irish discipline and defensive structure should see them over the line.
At home, with legends Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray and Cian Healy making their final appearances at the Aviva, expect an emotional and determined Irish performance. Ireland by 2.
Starting Lineups:
Ireland
Hugo Keenan; Jamie Osborne, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Finlay Bealham; Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne; Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).
Replacements: Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Thomas Clarkson, James Ryan, Jack Conan, Ryan Baird, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley.
France
Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Barassi, Yoram Moefana, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont (capt); Francois Gros, Peato Mauvaka, Uini Atonio; Thibaud Flament, Mickaël Guillard; Francois Cros, Paul Boudehent, Gregorry Alldritt.
Replacements: Julian Marchand, Cyrill Baille, Julian Aldegheri, Emmanuel Meafou, Hugo Auradou, Oscar Jégo, Anthony Jelonch, Maxime Lucu.
How To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby
FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to:
FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.