The Breakdown | France’s star turns primed to convert club form into Six Nations success
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Damian Penaud and Antoine Dupont carry hopes in a squad of experienced internationals and relatively new faces. If last weekend’s Champions Cup performances are anything to go by, France’s stars are arriving at the Six Nations this year at the peak of their powers. In both Bordeaux’s pummelling of the Sharks and Toulouse’s dismantling of Leicester, the France stalwarts led the way – from Damian Penaud’s double hat-trick of tries to Antoine Dupont’s now-customary multipositional display, with a resurgent Romain Ntamack by his side and Thibaud Flament excelling across all areas of the pitch.
![[Toulouse’s Antoine Dupont takes on Jamie Shillcock and Izaia Perese of Leicester in the Champions Cup.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/6a6e6f4de38ec1319ed2fae44beb869d59049467/75_0_3807_2285/master/3807.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
Given they provide the bulk of the national team starters, the fact that the Top 14’s top two teams are leading the way on the continental stage (but unfortunately cannot meet in the final) will only provide even more momentum for a resurgent XV de France.
The post-World Cup hangover which initially blighted last year’s Six Nations performances has now largely subsided, with the three wins during the autumn internationals showing Les Bleus back at their pre-autumn 2023 best – in particular in a slender win against New Zealand.
While too early to have any definitive impact on squad selection for 2027, this year’s tournament could nevertheless be one for the XV de France record books. Penaud is two tries away from equalling Serge Blanco’s record 38 international tries, while Thomas Ramos is fast closing down on Frédéric Michalak’s tally of 436 points.
Ramos, arguably the standout player of Les Bleus’ autumn campaign playing at fly-half, will undoubtedly be redeployed to his more familiar full-back role as Ntamack makes his return from an 18-month injury absence. While the next World Cup remains the primary objective, there is nevertheless increasing pressure on this France team to deliver more than the solitary Six Nations title won since Fabien Galthié’s arrival. “It’s not enough for this generation of players, some of whom are the best in the world in their position,” Ntamack notably told L’Équipe last month.
