France ‘hold all the aces’, says Laporte

FRANCE head coach Bernard Laporte is putting to one side any thoughts of winning the Grand Slam in the RBS 6 Nations Championship, preferring instead to revel in the psychological blow his team have dealt Ireland.

With home matches against Wales and Scotland to come, it seems the major obstacle to France — who beat Italy 39-3 in the opening round of fixtures — will be England at Twickenham on March 11.

For now, however, Laporte is simply content to have ended the Grand Slam hopes of Ireland, who he considered favourites.