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Ways to make Les Bleus lose.
There was a time when the word “France” would strike fear into the heart of most Irish rugby fans but those dark days are a thing of the past. Le Bleus are no longer the force they once were.
Still, there’s a sense that France are coming out of their recent slump and showing signs of a resurgence. They’ve started to rediscover some of their old flair under Guy Novès so what can Joe Schmidt do to shut down the French threat?
Get Johnny Sexton pulling the strings
Injury has kept Sexton out until now but he’ll be back for the France game. Paddy Jackson proved a capable deputy but Sexton is a big game player who knows the game plan.
Expect Sexton to set the tempo, pull the strings and implement Ireland’s long kicking game. He’s also the man you want bossing the pack around.
Work on the defence
Ireland got exposed out wide against Scotland and had some lucky escapes against Italy. We can expect France to show a lot of width on Saturday and to target the outside channels so it’s vital to tackle the defensive flaws from the first two matches.
It’s also important to neutralise France’s big threats like Louis Picamoles to prevent him breaking the gain line.
Get the set-piece preparation right
Set-pieces will form the launch pad for Ireland’s attacks if they’re executed with precision, with the lineout being a traditional Irish weapon. Reports from the French camp say they’re working on lineouts ahead of the game so Ireland need to avoid the mistakes they made against Scotland.
The French and Irish scrums are well balanced but Peter O’Mahony’s return from injury is a welcome boost for the bench. Ireland also have to be disciplined and avoid conceding penalties.
Look to expose France’s defensive weaknesses
Speaking during the week, Luke Fitzgerald mentioned the dubious positioning of the French back three. Ireland can exploit this through Sexton’s kicking game. They need to target the back three and try to force errors under the high ball.
Aim to wear France down
Ireland have to force France to defend, to move the ball around and give them no breathers. France are a big, strong side so this isn’t about getting into a physical battle or going two-to-toe with them. It’s about controlling space and keeping the point of contact moving.
It’s all about preparation and precision. Ireland have to be smart about the way they play and exploit the gap in conditioning. France’s defence can lose shape and run out of steam if Ireland can tire them out.
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