Dungarvan native and US Carcasonne full-back Steven McMahon has hefty praise for France's star scrum-half, Antoine Dupont, ahead of today's clash at the Aviva Stadium.
France make the trip to Dublin for the second round of the Six Nations where they will be greeted by a new look Irish side - cobbled together by Andy Farrell who is limited in his selection due to injury, suspension and failed concussion tests.
The staple half-back pairing of Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton will not be available today (Murray for a hamstring strain, Sexton for a failed HIA) and Farrell has opted for Billy Burnes and Jamison-Gibson Park in their stead.
Elsewhere in the forwards, neither Peter O' Mahony nor James Ryan will be involved. O' Mahony is facing a suspension for his reckless clearout on Tomas Francis, while Ryan is in the same boat as his captain Sexton, having failed his HIA mid week.
The starting half-backs are vastly inexperienced at test level in comparison to their superiors, lending grave concerns to Irish fans when we consider who lines out opposite them.
The Toulouse dynamo Dupont has been spoken about in the last year as possibly the best player in the world depending on who you talk to. Potent in broken play, controlled in his kicking and able to pass and run the ball with ease, the young scrumhalf is a certain future world player of the year.
McMahon, who plies his trade near Toulouse for PROD2 side Carcasonne has described Dupont as one of the very best, and a player who can create from nothing
"The best way to describe it I’d say its the closest thing to Messi playing rugby that I’ve ever come across. In fairness in the last two or three seasons he totally deserves it because it seems that whatever the touches turns too magic".
"He’s really the glue that holds Toulouse together and it doesn’t seem the step up to international level makes any difference to him".
"He’s a pretty joyful player to watch at the moment. Everything he’s doing is right".
The last time they met 👊
Dupont & Ntamack impress as @FranceRugby secured an impressive win in Paris. pic.twitter.com/wbBJhTQ7Xa— Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 14, 2021
"I love the way, even with his box kicking – he doesn’t do his big slow getting his players in place, he doesn’t have the big long caterpillar of three of payers bringing back the ball."
"You’ll see it a lot, he just clears it off the flat ruck which probably saves players for the kick chase".
"It's just very natural looking and it’s a real joy to watch".
And the first #GuinnessSixNations 2021 Player of the Match is... Antoine Dupont!🥁 👏#ITAvFRA pic.twitter.com/mO5OhvWYu4
— Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 6, 2021
Not only will the Irish side be faced with a threat from the French but from within their own ranks also.
Last week, despite playing the majority of the game with 14 men, several costly errors prevented the men in green from claiming a win. The penalty count was higher than normal, and that combined with a low count from Wales meant Andy Farrell's side struggled to make in-roads in the game.
The tendency to get caught on the outside in defence will worry the Irish coaching staff. No moment more so than when James Lowe was caught on his inside shoulder for the Louis Rees Zammit and George North scores - as pointed out by Ronan O Gara this week.
Ronan O’Gara: How the 'phantom attacker' haunted James Lowe for decisive Welsh try https://t.co/yYoSELapRi
— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) February 11, 2021
McMahon thinks that the French attack could prove tough to deal with for Ireland
"I don’t think that last week gives us a fair insight into what this week will be".
"Even though Ireland did well to get themselves into the position they were in. Throughout the whole 80 minutes, they were kind of poor in taking chances, exiting from their own half and probably their discipline".
"At one stage - it was definitely before the red card – it might have been when they went six nil up, and I think that was there 4th or 5th penalty given away in ten or twelve minutes. At international level you’re probably looking to keep your penalty count down around ten, so to give away that many penalties in the first twelve minutes or so, that was a big eye-opener for me".
"In saying that, the last 20 minutes of the first half when they were down to 14 men was brilliant. They were playing nice dynamic rugby. They got a couple of nice quick rucks where they picked and went from".
"That’s what France is actually very good at as well. Not only do they move the point of attack from breaks when they’re a little bit wider out the pitch, but when they’re getting up to that 22 area, and they make a break – they pile through and the first guy to the ball just picks it up and goes again. That’s how they scored their first try against Italy".
"That just sucks in the defenders and then they’ll flash it wide to score in the corner".
With the betting odds widening for a French win following the Ireland team announcement, all signs point to a comfortable game for Les Bleus in Dublin.
Before Farrell named his team, the French had a 3 point backing from the bookies, that's now widened to 5 points and one can only assume its due to the lack of Sexton and Murray. With all things considered, McMahon thinks that Irelandstill stand a chance of taking their first scalp of the 2021 campaign
"As a neutral in France, as an Irish supporter – we know this feeling that France have all too well. It's not dissimilar to us going into the world cup in 2019. They’re on cloud nine at the moment. They think they have the championship won before even playing a game. They really think they’re a superb team after beating Italy".
"From a French perspective, I’d be worried that if they don’t start well and if Ireland get on top – I don’t think the French team are an untouchable team that will be able to pull back Ireland if they make a decent start to the game and get a lead".
"On the other hand, is the Irish team slightly weakened this week? Do we maybe not have a collective unity? You’re talking about James Ryan as having a say in that second row for a number of games now. Murray, Sexton obviously there to drive it around. Peter O’ Mahony always holding that forward captaincy role around the forwards as well. If France get on top of Ireland, how will they react to it? How will Gibson-Park, and how will Billy Burns react to that?"
"They’re obviously superb players and I wouldn’t be too worried about their skillset at this level more time playing together".
"If all things are equal and both teams play well, I think Ireland will win. I don’t see Ireland running away with the game though as I don’t see where I try-scoring will come from, judging by the Welsh match because we were pretty static in the Welsh match, but maybe that was down to fatigue".
"I would just be worried if France start very well and pull ahead in the opening few minutes"
