State of the Nation: France worthy Six Nations champions as Rugby World Cup hopes bolstered

Now that the 2022 Six Nations is wrapped up, we continue to delve into the state of affairs in each of the competing nations. Last up, France.

If common wisdom is to be believed, anything other than a Grand Slam this season for Fabien Galthie’s France would have been greeted with disappointment. However, inspired by Antoine Dupont, powered by Gregory Alldritt and organised by defence coach Shaun Edwards, France delivered everything expected of them and much more.

A win over Italy, a demolition of both Ireland and Scotland followed by an ugly victory in Cardiff saw Paris come to life for the last match of the Six Nations season, where a tricoloured Stade de France rocked all evening as Les Bleus rolled England to win their tenth Grand Slam.

Few sides in the sport play with their all-court game, a fusion of forward power, speed and width in the backs and incredible directness down the middle of the park. With only a year or so to their hosting of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, France aren’t only on the upslope, but they’re in sight of the summit itself.

2022 was the season when France took a hard core of players and fixed a number of positional holes. Gabin Villiere arrived on the scene, a dynamo of action and involvement, to close off a vacant wing spot. A new-look slimline 143kg version of Uini Atonio appeared at tighthead, the loss of 10kgs of flab sharpening his work around the pitch whilst taking nothing away from his resilience at scrum time. And at lock, the absence of Bernard le Roux allowed Galthie to adopt the simple premise of getting his best players on the park and using flank Cameron Woki in the second-row, a tactical masterstroke that allowed France some of the fastest lineout ball seen in many a year.

And,