How Les Bleus have emerged as a force to be reckoned with
New coaching set-up has instilled a change in mindset to help France improve in key areas
Defensive improvements
The prevailing view of most Guinness Six Nations watchers is that Shaun Edwards has transformed France and turned them into Grand Slam contenders.
Shaun is awesome and I am staggered he has never worked for England. But there is a lot more to France’s resurgence than his magic as a defence coach.
In fact, in terms of points and tries conceded, France actually have the second-worst record, just above Italy – although Scotland and England playing the Calcutta Cup in a swimming pool is a mitigating factor.
But, in a wider sense, France have really improved in key areas, such as the huge amount of work their second rows have put in.
Paul Willemse and Bernard Le Roux are putting in massive shifts and are the bricks and mortar to this defence. Le Roux has made 63 tackles in three games; Willemse 47.
What Edwards has done is to change the mindset, the desire to make a tackle, to ensure that the French players understand that 50 per cent of the game is played without the ball and if you do not care about that, then it does not matter how good your attack is, you will never win.
For years they have been producing 30-40-minute performances; now they produce 60-minute performances. They will have to get better still, but it is a big step forward.
Ball-handling forwards
What makes me optimistic is that once you look past France’s defence, it is clear there is more going on with their attack – as shown by the fact they have scored the most points (86) and tries (11).
There are a number of reasons for that, but one is the ballhandling of the pack. Cyril Baille’s injury may hurt them, but the forwards can all pass and catch, which has brought the French offloading and shifting game to life.
Their back row is proving dynamic and balanced; Francois Cros does the graft; Charles Ollivon and Gregory Alldritt want to play. Ollivon has three tries; Alldritt the most carries. Alldritt has been brilliant – his body shape has changed in 12 months and he is now a dynamic, powerful athlete with some bulk behind him.
Potential greats at half-back
Antoine Dupont is already magnificent. Composure, control, pace off the mark, skill set, vision. He has a great work rate and then can pull the trigger on a pass, a kick, or a sniping run.
In attack, when he snipes round the fringes, he brings players such as Teddy Thomas or Ollivon off his shoulder and, if the opportunity arises, is happy to accelerate through himself.
Defensively he is also proving to be a leader, and this is where Edwards comes back into the mix. Edwards likes to give his scrumhalves free rein to put themselves into the defensive line, where they sense a threat and then use their acceleration to shut down the space and time around that threat.
In Cardiff, Dupont was huge. One early “read” and blitz on Leigh Halfpenny meant the ball went loose, Dupont regathered and kicked to the corner; Alun Wyn Jones was always going to lose the race to Thomas but, luckily for Wales, the ball dribbled into touch.
At No10, Romain Ntamack is staying close to his Toulouse mate and learning by the day. So composed, slight but tough. Great skill set and audacity to invite Nick Tompkins into “Mugs Alley” and pick off the intercept that won the game in Cardiff. That was no accident.
Line-out
So many options, with all of the back five able to get up in the air.
Ollivon is athletic and leading the line-out charts. If the throw is not right, his ability to readjust in mid-air and take one-handed gives the French an ability to play off the tail of the line-out – the best ball for any powerful back line.
Wide threat
We have not even seen the best of these guys yet. Virimi Vakatawa missed one game and has not had a chance to show the world his full set of tricks.
Damian Penaud has not played at all due to injury, while Thomas is just starting to settle. Anthony Bouthier at full-back looks like he has been at the top for years rather than just recently discovered in the lower French leagues.
Key moments
In attack and defence, France are winning key moments that they used to lose. The period just before half-time in Cardiff, with 14 men on the field, when they showed work rate and physical discipline to keep Wales out, was one. Ollivon’s second try, when England offered France one chance in the whole of the second half, was another crucial moment.
Breakdown
They are not having it all their own way, but their vastly improved work rate on and off the ball means they are able to compete ferociously at breakdowns and not be vulnerable if they lose out having overcommitted.
France are going after the ball. Alldritt, Cros, Baille and players such as Gael Fickou and Vakatawa out wide will jackal if given half a chance or counter-ruck. Rucks are not for rests with these lads. If you are not rock solid on your breakdown work, they will smash you or pilfer.
So where does that leave France today?
They are not perfect, not by a long way. In the second half in Paris, England had them over hot coals. Italy ran them ragged at times. Their scrum also looked weaker when the first-choice boys went off against England and Italy.
There is work to be done, which is where Edwards comes in. He will be a powerful voice in the camp, pushing his new charges to greater levels of concentration and delivery. And there looks to be a collective coming together under new management, with new players and a growing self-belief.
France have significant amounts of skill and power at their disposal. They have a real shot at doing something special and getting back to where they should be; near the top of the tree, year in, year out. Edwards, Raphael Ibanez and Fabien Galthie will not make a tackle or kick a penalty, but their relationship with their players and the quality of the team at their disposal makes France a very real threat to the top of the world order.
France have a shot at doing something special and getting back to near the top of the tree