Live updates of the Six Nations opening match between France and Ireland in Marseille.
Winning the Six Nations would help France and Ireland to some extent remove the bitterness of not winning the Rugby World Cup.
The winner of Friday’s opening clash in Marseille will be back in the driver’s seat for the Six Nations title. Their matchups over the past two years have determined the fate of the championship. In both cases the hosts won and advanced to the Grand Slam. France in 2022 and Ireland in 2023.
With the Stade de France unavailable due to renovations in preparation for the Paris Olympics, France Rugby chose the more intimate Stade Velodrome for its toughest challenger.
“We could have filled the Velodrome three more times,” said France coach Fabien Galtier. “France loves playing there.” France, coached by Galtier, are unbeaten away from home against Paris.
Ireland is not going into the lion’s den alone. The sensational support of Ireland fans was one of the highlights of last year’s World Cup in September and October, and manager Andy Farrell believes they will be cheering for his team again.
“I was incredibly proud of the connection I had with the fans,” Farrell said. “For me, it continues with the way we get back on the horse. A lot of Irish people booked flights to the (World Cup) semi-finals and then (when Ireland failed to qualify) a lot of people booked flights to Marseille. I heard they made the switch, so I guess they’re counting on us to do well. We have to face that kind of responsibility. It doesn’t guarantee we’ll be successful, but I think they’re counting on us to do well. We have to put up a fight.”
Rugby World Cup northern hemisphere stars France and Ireland were defeated in a thrilling quarter-final by eventual finalists South Africa and New Zealand.
From these games, France kept 10 starters and Ireland kept 11 starters. Each team will kick off without their captains and biggest names, France’s Antoine Dupont and Ireland’s Jonathan Sexton.
DuPont is trying to select France’s sevens team for the Olympics. Maxime Luuk, who has been his replacement since 2021, will start at scrum-half and pass to Bordeaux clubmate Mathieu Jalibert.
No. 8 Gregory Aldritt will serve as captain and the lock will change. Paul Willemse, who missed the World Cup due to injury, and Paul Gabriages, recalled for the first time since the 2019 World Cup, are back in harness.
Yoram Moefana was also preferred over Louis Biel-Bialei on the left wing, where Galtier wanted “combative intensity” rather than speed.
“Ireland will force us to make 200 tackles and 200 entries into the ruck without the ball, so we’re going to need that.”
Following Sexton’s retirement, Jack Crawley will be aiming for his 10th Ireland cap and first Six Nations start at fly-half, backed up by one-time cap Ciaran Frawley.
Lock Joe McCarthy and winger Calvin Nash made their Six Nations debuts in place of injured Ian Henderson and Mack Hansen, while veteran center Robbie Henshaw replaced Garry Ringrose with a shoulder problem. Will be a starter.
“It’s incredibly difficult (to win the Six Nations),” scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park said. You’ll never run out of motivation. ”
France vs Ireland lineup
France: Thomas Ramos, Damien Penault, Gael Ficou, Jonathan Danti, Yoram Moefana, Mathieu Jalibert, Maxime Roux. Gregory Aldritt (captain), Charles Ollivon, François Clos, Paul Willemse, Paul Gabriag, Wini Atonio, Piet Maubaka, Cyril Baille. Reserves: Julien Marchand, Leda Wardy, Dorian Aldegueri, Romain Taofifenua, Cameron Wouki, Paul Boudean, Nolan Le Garrec, Louis Biel-Bialley.
Ireland: Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash, Robbie Henshaw, Bundy Aki, James Lowe, Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson Park. Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Peter O’Mahony (captain), Tajig Beirne, Joe McCarthy, Tajig Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter. Reserves: Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Ciaran Frawley.
France vs Ireland predictions
France 30 Ireland 17