France turn focus to 'unique' New Zealand tour after Six Nations success / Photo: JULIEN DE ROSA - AFP
France turn focus to 'unique' New Zealand tour after Six Nations success
France blitzed to a second Six Nations title under Fabien Galthie thanks to Saturday's demolition job over Scotland, but next up for Les Bleus is a daunting summer tour of New Zealand.
Galthie's side have three Tests against the All Blacks in July but doubts exist about the quality of squad the former captain will be able to select.
The French Rugby Federation and the country's professional clubs announced in August that no players involved in June 28's Top 14 final will be included in the tour to the three-time Rugby World Cup champions.
Top 14 holders Toulouse and their all-star side including fly-half Romain Ntamack are currently atop of the league standings while Bordeaux-Begles' thrilling backline are second.
One certainty is the absence of Ntamack's half-back partner in Antoine Dupont after the talisman was ruled out for more than six months with a serious knee injury.
"I don't know what's exactly possible or not, if those in the final are allowed to go to New Zealand," Ntamack told reporters after the 35-16 win over Scotland.
"It's my dream to play there so if I'm lucky enough to go, even if the club are in the final, it will obviously be a pleasure," the 25-year-old added.
New Zealand Rugby are understood to be frustrated by the idea of welcoming a weakened team to their shores in a few months' time.
Meetings between France and the All Blacks are part of rugby folklore, especially at World Cups.
However, France have beaten New Zealand on their own turf just four times since their first visit in 1961.
"Maybe there's an exception to be done with the tour because it's quite exceptional to go and play in New Zealand," Ntamack said.
"Final or no final, if I go it will be a pleasure because tours of New Zealand are unique," he added.
- Icing on the cake -
The stand-out moment from Galthie's six-year tenure was the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final loss to South Africa on home soil.
It was followed by a hammering of Ireland in the opening game of last year's Six Nations.
"I think the team is better since 2023, a lot of things have developed," Galthie said.
"Because the players came through 2023 and 2024, which was a difficult Six Nations and we still finished second."
Since Galthie took over as head coach in late 2019, summer tours have been restricted to second or even third-choice players.
Last July's scandal-hit series in South America was littered with debutants, while 2021's three-game visit of Australia included gametime for players from the French second division.
"We have no news on that for now. I'll leave the coaching staff to answer it," Ntamack's club and Test team-mate Thomas Ramos said.
"Maybe there are players that will go, those who won't.
"We have less certainties compared to previous years."
Ramos, 29, finished the Six Nations campaign as France's record scorer, overtaking Frederic Michalak's 436 points haul.
"It was the icing on the cake to beat Fred's record," said Ramos, whose 20-point tally against Scotland took him to 450.
"It's a great moment of pride to surpass a player like that, a player who I admired when I was small.
"I'm happy but I don’t want to finish there.
"We're all competitors, so from time-to-time individual rewards do some good but my priority will always to be win titles for the team."
喬-H.Qiáo--THT-士蔑報
