Last up in our set of previews ahead of the 2026 Six Nations, we examine the prospects of last year’s champions, Fabien Galthié’s France.
France begin their title defence on Thursday against Ireland in Paris carrying the burden of tragedy alongside Galthié’s most ruthless selection decisions in six years as national coach. France’s preparation has been shaped by disruption and difficult calls, not all of them purely rugby related.
The heart attack that forced Uini Atonio into immediate retirement last week casts a shadow over preparations that were already complicated by the coach’s brutal cull of Grégory Alldritt, Damian Penaud and Gaël Fickou, three players who, between them, have accumulated 215 caps and…