PARIS: France flyhalf Romain Ntamack believes Ireland will hold few surprises for them when they meet in the Six Nations on Saturday and said the visitors are the favourites coming into the clash at the Stade de France.
Both teams won their opening games last weekend but France’s 37-10 victory over Italy in Paris last Sunday was less convincing than Ireland’s 29-7 win over Wales in Dublin 24 hours earlier.
Like France, Ireland were also victors last November against New Zealand and the rare wins over the All Blacks made both Ireland and France the teams to watch in this year’s Six Nations.
“It will be another big test. We know the Irish, we know they beat the All Blacks before us this autumn. It will be an important match to know exactly where we stand. We have prepared very well and we won’t be caught by any surprises,” Ntamack told a news conference on Wednesday.
“Ireland’s game against New Zealand showed their physical qualities and the way they played that day amazed everyone. We expected they would do much the same against the Welsh last weekend and we expect them to play the same game against us on Saturday.
“It’s up to us to analyse them, to study their strengths and weaknesses to see what we can do to undermine them. But, of course, we mustn’t do the same things the Welsh did, otherwise we risk suffering the same fate as them.
“They (Ireland) fully deserve the status of favourites.”
Ntamack insisted, however, France had also shown considerable progress over the last year even if the scoreline against Italy last weekend flattered them.
“We will have to raise our level of play compared to last weekend, but we have a well-established and assimilated strategy that we will try to implement to the letter against Ireland. We have also won some big games lately.
“But the team will have to raise their level a notch or two if we want to win,” he added
Matthieu Jalibert, struggling with a right thigh injury, was released from the France squad on Wednesday along with 13 other players, allowed to return to their clubs for weekend Top 14 matches, leaving a squad of 28 for the Six Nations clash.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)
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