French young guns in position to make massive impact
“Scrum-halves have a huge role in French rugby”
MUCH of the renewed hope surrounding French rugby following their win over Scotland revolves around their exciting young half-back pairing.
Scrum-half Antoine Dupont (22) and out-half Romain Ntamack (19) were both excellent in the 27-10 win at Stade de France two weeks ago and there is much anticipation in French rugby circles at the long-term potential these two carry for the national team.
The Scotland game was their first time starting together as a pairing at any level and tomorrow, they go up against a the most experienced half-back partnership in the game, who played together for the 50th time at international level last time out against Italy in Rome.
Facing the Johnny SextonConor Murray combo is a daunting prospect and Dupont is happy to admit that the young French duo look up to their opponents in how they play the game and want to emulate their achievements.
‘Conor Murray has a great partnership with Johnny Sexton and that is definitely something myself and Romain want to learn from,’ says Dupont, who will win his 13th cap in Lansdowne Road as Ntamack collects only his fourth.
Murray is a player Dupont has studied closely and he has been working hard on his kicking game to bring it up close to the level of the Munster man.
‘He (Murray) is a very good organiser, a strong carrier and is a big influence in defence because of his size,’ says the French scrum-half.
‘He also has a very good kicking game and that is something I have studied because kicking is an important attacking weapon even if it is my nature to play the ball.
‘You have to be able to adapt to different situations and when I kicked twice as much as usual against the Scots, it did not trouble me.’
The scrum-half has a hugely influential role in French rugby where they are expected to assume chief playmaking duties and direct the forwards in attack and defence, and Dupont says barking orders at his pack is not something that comes naturally to him.
‘It’s not easy for a young player like me to boss the big forwards about because I am not going to teach them anything but it is my job to organise them and pass on instructions. I try to prove myself with how I play because I am not the most expressive vocally.
‘And maybe for the younger players, it is easier to play in Dublin because we do not have as much experience of defeat as some of the older guys.’
While the enthusiasm of the French half-backs poses a major threat to Ireland, their lack of experience also represents a possible weakness for Ireland to target.
However, veteran teammates Yoann Huget and Mathieu Bastareaud believe these tyros are up to the task.
‘Antoine, like Romain, is young but he has proven himself in big matches with Toulouse in the Top14 and European Cup and he has proven himself with the club over two or three years,’ says Huget, with Bastareaud stressing that it is important not to put too much pressure on internally.
‘I am not going to bombard them with too much information, they are there because they have the shoulders to bear the pressure. Pushing too much information on young players can destabilise them, you have to let them play with freedom and express themselves.’
As for the collective challenge facing the French tomorrow, Bastareaud believes the visitors will have to be at their best against the Grand Slam champions just to stay with them and pinpointed the breakdown battle as the key area in deciding who wins this encounter.
‘This is not necessarily a spectacular Irish team but it is a very effective one and what they do, they do very well,’ said the 52times capped centre. ‘They are not ranked second in the world for nothing and we will have to be very vigilant and have good communication to match them.
‘The ground game will be crucial against Ireland. Against Scotland, we were pretty disciplined in our approach and we will need to be even more so against the Irish.
‘It will be vital to gauge when to go in and compete for the ball and when to get back in the defensive line. Ireland are so organised and efficient that they will punish us if we commit four or five players to the ruck.
‘So we cannot afford to attack every ball because we will leave space elsewhere.’