Bernard Jackman: Leinster's Rabah Slimani will bring Irish intel to French camp

With Simon Easterby's Guinness Six Nations squad yesterday falling along expected lines, the most eye-catching selection of the day came from the French camp.

Nearly five and a half years on from winning the last of his 57 caps for Les Bleus, Leinster tighthead Rabah Slimani has been recalled to the France squad at the ripe old age of 35.

The prop was one of many players whose Test careers were abruptly ended when Fabien Galthie took over from Jacques Brunel after the 2019 World Cup, and any hopes he had of a recall appeared long gone by the time he joined Leinster from Clermont Auvergne last summer.

For the most part, Slimani is the same player he was last season, and for the previous four years when he was surplus to requirements for the France coach.

However, with half a season working day-in and day out with the likes of Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Cian Healy, Thomas Clarkson and Jack Boyle, Slimani’s value to Galthie has increased dramatically, as he returns to Marcoussis armed with plenty of intel on the bulk of Easterby’s front row club.

"Slimani being picked for France, Leo [Leinster head coach Leo Cullen] will be delighted with that one," Bernard Jackman said on the RTÉ Rugby podcast this week.

We need your consent to load this YouTube content We use YouTube to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preferences

"It will also be interesting what Slimani’s role is the week of the Ireland game. Is he in the 23 or is he giving them really good information around the Irish game and the Irish players.

"I think it’s quite creative by Galthie, and fair play to him."

The