Romain Ntamack brings the best out of Antoine Dupont - it's a big blow for France

BIG LOSS: France's Romain Ntamack scores a try despite Kyle Steyn of Scotland before going off injured later in that game. Pic: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

There is a tendency this close to a major sporting tournament - such as a rugby World Cup - for fans to fixate nervously on injuries.

It goes with the territory. The prospect of an international missing part or all of a tournament is, ‘a blow’, ‘a worry’, and/or ‘a heartbreak’. Adjectives, of the ‘massive’ or ‘major’ kind, twang pre-tournament anxiety accordingly.

Fabien Galthie has not announced the France squad for the World Cup. He will do so in a lunchtime programme on French TV on Monday, August 21. But we know one player won’t be there. And his absence is a genuine blow to French chances.

Romain Ntamack ruptured knee ligaments in the 56th minute of Saturday’s warm-up rematch against Scotland in Saint-Etienne. It was clear, as he hobbled off, that he feared for his World Cup.

Galthie told reporters afterwards the fly-half suffered, “a slight hyper-extension of the knee”, and was replaced as a precaution.

But the hope-driven white lie wouldn’t fly for long. Rumours, already swirling, gathered strength around the time Ntamack - and Cyril Baille - failed to join the post-match lap of honour at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. By mid-morning on Monday, the worst was confirmed.

It’s hard to emphasise how important the Toulouse fly-half is to France.

Put it this way: we all know the ‘one of the first names on the teamsheet’ cliché to describe a player’s importance. As a phrase, it rarely comes with a specific number. When available, Ntamack is undoubtedly one of the first four names on France’s teamsheet, with Antoine Dupont, Gregory Alldritt, and Gael Fickou - who had a strange off night on Saturday.

Galthie’s 23s are mostly built around that quartet. Complete the spine with Julien Marchand and Thomas Ramos, add Damien Penaud, Charles Ollivon, Thibault Flament, Jonathan Danty, and away you go.

For a while, the question of whether Ntamack or Matthieu Jalibert was France’s best option at 10 gripped French rugby. The latter has, arguably, a greater propensity for eye-catching flair. The former was seen - is happy to be seen - as a game manager. Necessary, but not very French.

That debate died in the 63rd minute of the match against New Zealand on November 20, 2021. You probably recall the passage of play.

The score was 27-25. The All Blacks had scored three tries in 10 minutes, and were attacking again as Ntamack picked up a bouncing ball in France’s in-goal area. Logic and screaming fans dictated he concede a 5m scrum - as per the laws at the time - and allow France a moment to reset.

Instead, he skitted past two All Blacks, and launched an astonishing counter. What would have been the try from the very far end of the end of the world was only denied 100m up the pitch when Cameron Woki missed a three-on-one overlap. In the defensive rush, however, New Zealand coughed up a penalty and a player to a yellow card. Their fightback was over; France won 40-25.

And Galthie’s preferred hinge preference was no longer in question - even Jalibert accepted it.

But that’s still not the most important reason that France will miss Ntamack. This is: he is Dupont’s fly-half.

It helps that they are club as well as country partners. They come as a pair in the blue of France or red-and-black of Toulouse. But they have an on-pitch relationship that goes beyond most scrum-half/fly-half standards. It’s near-telepathic.

Think Dupontamack. It’s easier.

Ntamack has played in 25 of France’s 37 Galthiecene-era matches, including every one that matters. The 2022 Grand Slam games. The wins over New Zealand, South Africa, Australia. The triumph at Twickenham.

We look at France, we see Dupont. He’s the shining focus of the team. What we don’t see is Ntamack’s shadow role. His primary job is to be France’s safety net. To play the smart game; to allow Dupont to do his thing, and the forwards to do their thing by keeping opponents on the back foot.

Flair, it’s gravy. He can do it, he has done it. He uses off-the-cuff counter-running as a surprise weapon. And it works. But his guiding principle is to wear the defence out of the opposition. When the time is right, he lets go. Or, when his job is done, Jalibert comes on to light the flair in his stead.

Dupont will work with Jalibert and - probably - La Rochelle’s Antoine Hastoy. He’s an excellent player. They are excellent players. France’s hinge will continue to work - we’re not talking a complete breakdown here. But look closely and you’ll likely notice it not working quite as well.

In a game of small differences, it’s a game changer of a small difference.

Bad news like this quickly cascades. Shortly after Ntamack’s injury news broke, the FFR confirmed that loosehead Baille is out for five to six weeks with a calf tear. It also revealed that tighthead Demba Bamba, who suffered an ankle injury in France’s opening warm-up match in Edinburgh, was released to Top 14 side Lyon.

Thomas Laclayat, a hugely promising player with no French top-flight experience, has been called up in his place.

Baille’s absence is a problem. Losing one of the game’s best active props is going to hurt. He is set to miss two or three pool matches, leaving Galthie wondering whether to keep him on board and use Jean-Baptiste Gros and Reda Wardi in rotation for the first three matches, or bring in additional cover - Sebastien Taofifenua, perhaps, or Dany Priso. Or even Laclayat as a swing prop.

Bamba’s departure is less of an issue. An all-action, no smarts outing against Scotland dropped him down the tighthead ranks.

But Galthie’s overriding concern, right now, is not in the forwards, but in the absence of Ntamack. And that is serious indeed.