France has its best shot to win its first Rugby World Cup even without star Ntamack
PARIS (AP) — France has to try and win the Rugby World Cup without injured star flyhalf Romain Ntamack, one of the best attacking players in the world.
Even that will not dim national enthusiasm, though, when Les Tricolores face New Zealand on opening night at Stade de France on Sept. 8, such is the confidence and breadth of talent in coach Fabien Galthie’s side.
While Ntamack would walk into most sides, the good news for France is that so would Matthieu Jalibert, who is set to take over the No. 10 jersey.
Less than five months after his Top 14 club debut, Jalibert made his France debut at age 19 in the 2018 Six Nations, a year before Ntamack. But in the same match Jalibert suffered a year-long knee injury. By the time he was fit, Ntamack arrived and quickly established himself in the halves with Toulouse clubmate Antoine Dupont.
But then Ntamack tore his ACL in a warmup game in mid-August when his boot got stuck in the turf, and Jalibert has since started the last two warmup wins over Fiji and Australia. His backup is Antoine Hastoy, the flyhalf of European champion La Rochelle who has five caps and one start since 2021.
After the All Blacks showdown, Les Tricolores should have little trouble seeing off Uruguay, Namibia and Italy. But in the quarterfinals could await defending champion South Africa or Six Nations champion Ireland.
France has tripped up in the quarterfinals at the last two World Cups; the 2019 turning point against Wales was Sebastien Vahaamahina’s senseless red card.
Galthie’s side is far more disciplined than in 2019 and much fitter, thanks to the work of strength and conditioning coach Thibault Giroud. Workaholic prop Cyril Baille injured a calf in the same match as Ntamack but remains in the squad because he should be available by the last pool game against Italy in October.
France should be rolling by October, back on a winning run after the All Blacks game or extending the home winning streak which currently stands at 14.
The home side offers few weaknesses. Dupont is the conductor. The forwards are powerful and quick and boast try-scorers such as hooker Peato Mauvaka and rampaging flanker Charles Ollivon. Damian Penaud is a lethal finisher — eight tries in seven tests this year — and fullbacks Melvyn Jaminet and Thomas Ramos are excellent goalkickers.
Then there’s Galthie, the deep thinker with the zany glasses.
After taking charge four years ago, he quickly revitalized the team and started fast-tracking young players. His first Six Nations squad mined the under-20s side which won the previous two junior world championships. He included seven new caps, mostly aged 23 or younger.
They were Six Nations runners-up in 2020 and 2021, and broke through with the Grand Slam in 2022, completing a calendar year with a perfect winning record for the first time.
Galthie surprised some when he selected 20-year-old winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey in his World Cup squad. Galthie sensed he was ready, and so Bielle-Biarrey was left out of the junior team that secured a third straight world title this summer.
Bielle-Biarrey has proceeded to blow the training staff away and gather three caps in August.
“Our training sessions are like matches, and every time we would say to each other, ‘Wow,’” Galthie said about Bielle-Biarrey, who proved him right by scoring a fine try early in his test debut against Scotland. ”You should never close the door on blossoming talent, it’s hope that feeds a nation. All the young players who play rugby must be saying to themselves that they have a chance.”
After losing three finals, there is mounting excitement that it could be France’s turn.
“We’ve got a French public that are really proud of a spectacular French team,” World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin said. “There’s huge excitement.”
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