The Irish Mail on Sunday

Galthie is an affront to every player’s sacrifice... he should have been fired

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THANKS to the overhaul of the past two decades, Irish rugby supporters have usually been keenly interested in the closing stages of the Six Nations.

When a side is competitiv­e, every game matters. Ireland’s transforma­tion into consistent contenders from the early 2000s through to the highs of the Joe Schmidt era meant that there was no more looking on as France and England disappeare­d into the distance.

And as the games wore on, the tension increased and with it the sense of expectatio­n.

Ireland are not going to contend for glory this season, but with Scotland and England to play in the final two rounds, and the improvemen­ts against Italy tested against much better sides, fans are still entitled to have an emotional stake in the next fortnight.

That is no thanks to French rugby.

The details of the past week, when it emerged that coach Fabien Galthie broke the team’s Covid protocols to attend a match in which his son played, and the news that a number of players also breached their bubbles to eat waffles in Rome, were disgracefu­l and threatened the entire tournament.

Galthie only kept his job because France want to win the 2023 World Cup. He should have been sacked.

The French disregard for public health protocols is an affront to the sacrifices made by every player in the competitio­n.

 ??  ?? DISGRACE: Galthie broke his team’s Covid rules
DISGRACE: Galthie broke his team’s Covid rules

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