France’s 2022 vintage can live up to the Six Nations hype

Barely a month into the new year and the Six Nations has appeared around the corner. It sneaks up on player and spectator alike, the segue from the new year blues to the start of spring, with eight weeks of the best international rugby tournament in the world. What a way to end dry January.

This year’s tournament is set to be something very special. As always, there is hype surrounding the home nations and which teams are likely to pull ahead, but this time there are facts to support their hyperbole.

Since the world rankings started in 2003 this is the best combined average total of all the teams. It should be. The performances from the northern- hemisphere teams during their respective autumn campaigns were exceptionally good.

England convincingly beat Australia, and overcame the world champions South Africa in a brutish Test match. Ireland refound their form, and style, in dismissing Argentina in record fashion and proving once more they are New Zealand’s’ bogey team.

Wales turned a corner after their poor autumn start, while Scotland also fought hard against the Springboks and turned over Australia.

All of this leaves the home nations in a very strong position and in normal circumstances the winner of the tournament would be picked from one of these four. The problem is the sleeping giant lying across the Channel has awoken.

Maybe a sleeping giant is a step too far but France have for too long, with all their wealth and depth of talent, been underperforming. But no longer.

An undefeated campaign, and within that a crushing of the All Blacks, has sent a message to those home nations. France are back.

Not since 2010 have they won the Six Nations but with the golden generation which includes familiar names such as Damian Penaud,