The November Tests start now.
You only have to take a look at the Scotland team this week to see how much last week’s Test — outside the World Rugby window — was compromised.
Scotland have ripped up the back line that faced the Wallabies, injecting a new No.10, No.12, No.13 and No.15, while the Gray brothers and British and Irish Lion Rory Sutherland all come into the 23 to face Fiji this weekend after being unavailable last week. Scotland, or at least this Scotland, are a chance of beating the All Blacks at Murrayfield next weekend.
As for the French team to face the Wallabies? All the big dogs are there. Francophiles have already noted that a few of them — including No.10 Romain Ntamack and loosehead prop Cyril Baille — lack game time, having barely played recently or not at all. So, they might be a bit rusty. But the point is this is France at full noise capacity. The squad that they sent to face the Wallabies last year could only ever turn the amp up to 6 or 7.
By way of comparison, take a look at the French starting XV compared to the one that took to the field in Brisbane in the third Test last year.
Only three starting players — Anthony Jelonch, Cameron Woki and Damian Penaud — survive from the Suncorp Stadium decider, while a further two — Romain Taofifenua and Sipili Falatea — have been included on the bench.
Is French playmaker Antoine Dupont the world’s best player?Credit:AP
There is very little the Wallabies can take from last year’s three Tests, particularly with Antoine Dupont back in the French team at No.9. Of course, it is self-evident that the world’s best player is going to change things for his side, but stylistically Dupont is utterly different from Baptiste Couilloud, the halfback France relied upon in Australia.
Couilloud was one of the standouts of the tour for France, but a lot of his good work came from his pass or the boot. Dupont, a strong man, is going to run when he gets the chance.
Dave Rennie is right when he says the French play little or no rugby in their own territory — a more flattering description would be to say they exit efficiently — but the Wallabies coach also knows they can flick the switch in the right areas of the field.
The Wallabies have not played a halfback like Dupont this year, particularly one who has a good understanding with his No.10 Ntamack, and their familiarity (both play at Toulouse) was surely a factor in the latter’s selection after an injury lay-off.
Dupont’s combination with Romain Ntamack for both club and country will ring alarm bells for Dave Rennie.Credit:Getty
However, the French may be at their strongest in the back row. It has to be remembered that their rise during the past 12 months has come despite the absence of their former captain, Charles Ollivon.
Dupont retained the skipper’s armband for the November Tests, but Olilivon was their man until struck down by a serious knee injury. His return is timely, with fellow flanker Francois Cros absent with his own knee issue. France will lose something over the ball with Cros on the sidelines, but France’s starting back row of Ollivon, No.8 Gregory Alldritt and failed actor Jelonch is world-class. In fact, that quartet probably has no rival in world rugby — they’re all all-rounders with size, power and technical excellence.
The other player to look out for is replacement loosehead prop Dany Priso, whom Will Skelton knows well from his club, La Rochelle. Priso’s scrum work against Leinster and Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong was a big reason that La Rochelle beat the Irish powerhouses in last year’s European Champions Cup final. He is explosive and may see plenty of minutes against the Wallabies due to Baille’s relative lack of match fitness.
That means the Wallabies could ask a lot out of Taniela Tupou, or risk exposing the relatively inexperienced (at Test level) Tom Robertson against Priso and the powerful French replacement hooker Peato Mauvaka, who scored two tries against the All Blacks last November.
If this all sounds daunting, well, it is a little. France are more frightening than the current All Blacks, and more physically imposing than the classy Irish. Is this the Wallabies’ toughest Test of the year? It must be close to it.
Watch all the action from the Wallabies’ Spring Tour with every match streaming ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport. Continues this weekend (all times AEDT) with Scotland v Fiji and Italy v Samoa (both Saturday 11.50pm), Wales v All Blacks (Sunday 2am), Ireland v South Africa (Sunday 4.20am), France v Wallabies (Sunday 6.40am) and England v Argentina (Monday 1.05am).
