French fear-factor: Three big threats
PROMISING START: Ethan Dumortier of France during the Six Nations Rugby match against Italy last weekend. Pic: David Rogers/Getty Images
The unknown quantity out wide as far as Ireland are concerned. Lyon’s 22-year-old winger will face the biggest challenge of his career to date at a packed Aviva in just his second international. He scored on his debut against Italy last Sunday, a match he probably would not have played in were it not for the unfortunate Gabin Villiere’s latest injury setback, and already has 12 tries in 16 matches for club and country this season. He’s quick, as a wing should be, tall, strong, good in the air, eager to work, and can switch to a midfield role with the insouciant ease of youth, a skill that Fabien Galthie appreciates. Think a quieter, more controlled, Damian Penaud crossed with Villiere, and you won’t be far off the mark. If he has a weakness, it’s in defence, but he - like Penaud - isn’t selected for his try-stopping abilities as much as his try-scoring ones.
SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP
Your home for the latest news, views and analysis of this year's Six Nations Championship from our award winning sports team.
SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP
Your home for the latest news, views and analysis of this year's Six Nations Championship from our award winning sports team.
The known quantity at scrum-half. Dupont is much stronger than the average scrum-half, as brave as they come, has pace to burn, kicks equally well off both feet, and is grandmaster smart at rugby. Ireland are as well aware of this as any side in world rugby. But knowing about an opposition player and the threats posed is only half the battle. Being able to do something about them is a different question altogether - or, in Dupont’s case, an entire cloud server of different questions. France’s captain didn’t have his best game against Italy, which also means he’ll have a point to prove, to himself if no one else, in Dublin. To be honest, France are due another Dupont masterclass - the Aviva may be the setting, as he never plays better than when he’s angry. And France’s penalty-strewn performance in Rome left him, quietly, seething.
Everyone’s waiting, breath bated, for the backrow battle between O’Mahony, van der Flier and Doris, and Jelonch, Ollivon and Alldritt. And no wonder: it’s a triple threat gladiatorial battle for the ages. But Sekou Macalou, a stylishly gritty, turnover-winning flanker with the pace and hands of a back three player - he is, by all accounts, the quickest player in Stade Francais’ ranks - will pose Ireland a new set of challenges. It’s taken the French staff some time to find a role for a player with Macalou’s range of hybrid abilities. He has a criminally low number of 14 caps to his name, after making his international debut in November 2017, and his 19 minutes against Italy last Sunday were his first in a Six Nations match. Coming off the bench, with 20 or 30 minutes left, he could be decisive in any one of five positions Galthie may ask him to play.
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