Only a moment of madness at Murrayfield 12 months ago denied France their first Six Nations title since 2010 and there is a strong feeling in some quarters that this could be their year.
Having done all the hard work in beating England on the opening weekend in 2020, France looked well set to end their silverware drought until coming a cropper against Scotland in round four.
Mohamed Haouas’ punch on Jamie Ritchie in the 37th minute of their 28-17 defeat was every bit as senseless as Sébastien Vahaamahina’s at Rugby World Cup 2019, and equally costly.
It was another slap in the face for those arguing that this was a different France, one that didn’t shoot itself in the foot.
But to be fair to the French, it was a rare indiscretion in a year that otherwise saw Les Bleus bring the best out of their players within a more disciplined structure. After Murrayfield, France only lost one man to the sin-bin in their five remaining fixtures.
It is also instructive that Rugby World Cup 2019 final referee, Jerome Garces, has been spending time in camp with France to remind them of the pictures the officials want to see.
Club versus country politics forced head coach Fabien Galthié to experiment in 2020 and blood young players, and that proved a blessing.
Last year you’d have wondered how Les Bleus would have coped with losing Romain Ntamack to injury, but Matthieu Jalibert and Louis Carbonel have seized the chances afforded to them and proved themselves to be worthy deputies at 10.
With a physical pack providing solid front-foot ball, Antoine Dupont keeping opposition back-rows honest with his sniping runs at the base and Teddy Thomas and Damian Penaud ready to tear it up out wide, France tick most boxes for punters.
However, if any side can dampen the spirits of the ‘Fab’ rugby brigade, it is ever-so-efficient ENGLAND and they look worth supporting across all markets.
In October, England wrapped up the Six Nations 2020 title on points difference from France and subsequently went on to lift the Autumn Nations Cup after a sudden death shootout against a third-string French side.
Eddie Jones and his captain Owen Farrell had a steely look in their eyes when addressing the media at the Six Nations virtual launch last week, and the determination to up their game from that campaign is there for all to see.
By Jones’ own admission, they were nowhere near their best but don’t expect them to shy away from the power-based game that has served them well. Gaining yards not new admirers is the only thing England are concerned with as they look to deliver a fourth Six Nations title under Jones’ stewardship.
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