Latest news with #FabienGalthie
The Independent
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Top French players could feature against All Blacks as agreement with Top 14 reached
France could yet field some of their stars against the All Blacks after agreement was reached with the Top 14 to make several top players available. Fabien Galthie 's Six Nations champions had been due to travel on the summer tour of New Zealand with a virtual second-string squad, as has become custom for the side over the last few years. France face the All Blacks in a three Tests from 5 July in a series that begins just one week after the Top 14 final concludes the domestic season. With the league possessing real heft in negotiations, it appeared that the play-offs and concern over player workload would leave Galthie to take mostly fringe figures on tour, yet the France boss has been given a boost. While a 42-man squad will be mostly comprised of players who were little used or did not feature in the Six Nations, a maximum of five players from the two finalist clubs will be permitted to be included provided they have not had too much playing time across the campaign. Jean-Marc Lhermet, vice-president of the French rugby federation (FFR), said: "This agreement perfectly illustrates the shared desire of the FFR and the LNR to combine sporting performance and player protection. 'By maintaining the balance between the demands of the calendars and the necessary management of players' playing time, we are giving the French team the means to prepare for this tour to New Zealand with ambition and serenity. This innovative system demonstrates our ability to work together, in the interest of French rugby and its players." Toulouse currently top the Top 14 table with Investec Champions Cup winners Bordeaux-Begles in second. It is unlikely that wings Louis Bielle-Biarrey or Damian Penaud will be permitted to travel after featuring heavily this season, while Toulouse fly half Romain Ntamack is reportedly expected to undergo surgery on a knee injury. Antoine Dupont remains sidelined after tearing his ACL during the Six Nations win over Ireland. France took an inexperienced squad to Argentina and Uruguay last July, splitting their two-match series 1-1 with the Pumas. A France XV will also face an equivalent England selection at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham this summer, with a 28-player squad comprised of those not involved in the Top 14 semi-finals to feature in the fixture on Saturday 21 June.
The Independent
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Six Nations 2026 to start on Thursday night as full schedule revealed
France and Ireland will open the 2026 Six Nations on a Thursday night with a blockbuster clash between the regular title rivals. The defending champions will host Andy Farrell's side on 6 February under the lights, with the opening weekend of the tournament beginning early in part to avoid a clash with the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics a day later. The first round also features England and Wales renewing their rivalry at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, while Scotland travel to Rome to face Italy . 'Super Saturday', meanwhile, will see Ireland host Scotland and Wales take on Italy before France and England conclude the championship on 14 March. The 2026 edition of the men's tournament is a week shorter than previous years due to changes to the international calendar, with one of the two fallow weeks removed. Three rounds will take place before a weekend off at the end of February, with the action resuming on Friday 6 March as Ireland welcome Wales to the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The location for France's games is still to be confirmed with no deal yet agreed with the Stade de France, though it is understood that organisers are planning for Fabien Galthie's side to be playing in Paris. Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to continue to watch the annual tournament live on the BBC and ITV after the broadcasters renewed their joint agreement to show the men's Six Nations. ITV will have coverage of every England game, with the BBC showing the five Wales and Scotland home fixtures not involving Steve Borthwick's team 2026 Men's Six Nations fixtures (all times GMT) Round One Thursday 5 February: France vs Ireland (8.10pm, TBC) Saturday 7 February: Italy vs Scotland (2.10pm, Rome) Saturday 7 February: England vs Wales (4.40pm, Twickenham) Round Two Saturday 14 February: Ireland vs Italy (2.10pm, Dublin) Saturday 14 February: Scotland vs England (4.40pm, Edinburgh) Sunday 15 February: Wales vs France (3.10pm, Cardiff) Round Three Saturday 21 February: England vs Ireland (2.10pm, Twickenham) Saturday 21 February: Wales vs Scotland (4.40pm, Cardiff) Sunday 22 February: France vs Italy (3.10pm, TBC) Round Four Friday 6 March: Ireland vs Wales (8.10pm, Dublin) Saturday 7 March: Scotland vs France (2.10pm, Edinburgh) Saturday 7 March: Italy vs England (4.40pm, Rome) Round Five Saturday 14 March: Ireland vs Scotland (2.10pm, Dublin) Saturday 14 March: Wales vs Italy (4.40pm, Cardiff)
BBC News
16-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Scotland played the right way' in 35-16 loss to France
Scotland gave it their best in Paris, but eventually France's physicality became too hard to break down, and their clinical attack started to stretch the meant another fourth-placed finish for Scotland, while France won their first Six Nations since 2022. Here's what our pundits had to say:Former Glasgow Warriors scrum-half Colin Gregor: A three-point deficit at half-time was beyond where I thought Scotland would be. They went toe-to-toe with France in the first it was nerves, whether it was all part of the masterplan, I don't know. France's discipline was poor. Fabien Galthie looked livid. It seemed Scotland had gotten under their as feared, the quality on France's bench, which came on early, they made an impact. There was an increase in intensity, their discipline sharpened right up. They became difficult to break down. Rarely were France prop Peter Wright: I was pretty proud of the way Scotland played. They stuck at it, went out and tried to play the game that could have beaten had a go, moved the ball, played with width. [Blair] Kinghorn had one of his best games. [Duhan] Van der Merwe and [Darcy] Graham looked dangerous.[Finn] Russell will get a lot of criticism for certain things, but I thought he played pretty well and gave Scotland a chance. He varied the game enough to try and hurt the France are a better side. There are world-class players all over the pitch, they can bring real quality off the bench and that just adds to the tempo and Scotland back-row Johnnie Beattie on ITV: That's cruel nature of our sport - if Finn Russell kicks his goals at Twickenham, and this game goes down to the wire for a championship, that changes the at our player participation numbers. France have hundreds of thousands and we have around 20,000 adult is not something Scottish fans will want to hear but when you look at numbers, that is where we record point-scorer Chris Paterson: That was a massive defensive effort from France. They were quite happy to allow us to have possession, they were quite wide in their played with some fantastic endeavour and were quite sharp on the ball, but we couldn't break through, get in behind and really stress played the right way, gave ourselves the best opportunity by keeping the ball alive, playing as quick as possible. It wasn't always accurate but it's the right way to go about Scotland's chief sports writer Tom English: Galthie sprung the bench very early, and that changed the game. The power and control was grew tired. They put an awful lot into the first half, played really well. But when that ferocity is coming at you for another 40 minutes, I don't know how you withstand that. Ireland couldn' put an awful lot into this game, really good in places. France are just better.
The Independent
15-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Italy vs Ireland LIVE: Latest build-up and updates as Six Nations Super Saturday begins
Ireland know a win is a must to preserve their Six Nations title hopes as they kick off Super Saturday against Italy. A hectic final day could be in store with three teams harbouring somewhat realistic hopes of securing the championship. France begin in pole position with a bonus-point win making certain of their place at the top of the table when they play Scotland later having dashed Ireland's grand slam dreams with a Dublin dismantling last weekend. But the pressure could be piled on Fabien Galthie 's side both by the men in green and England, who play Wales in the middle fixture on this decisive day. First, though, it will be the defending champions looking to finish with a flourish and move back to the top of the Six Nations tree. An historic three-peat may now feel unlikely but all Ireland can do is take care of business against an Italian team reeling after two poor performances against France and England. How to watch Italy v Ireland Ireland vs Italy is due to kick off at 2.15pm GMT on Saturday 15 March at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on ITV1, with coverage on the channel from 1.30pm GMT. A live stream will be available via ITVX. Luke Baker15 March 2025 10:12 Everything you need to know about Italy v Ireland Ireland know a win is a must if they are to preserve they faint Six Nations title hopes as they take on Italy on Super Saturday. The grand slam dreams were dashed by a drubbing at the hands of France in the penultimate round to leave Les Bleus in control of their own destiny as they prepare to take on Scotland in the championship denouement. Ireland's hopes of an historic third straight title require a French slip-up in Paris and England failing to take a full five points against Wales. All Simon Easterby's side can do, though, is put the pressure on by beating an Italian team that have struggled defensively in their last two outings. Here's everything you need to know: Is Italy vs Ireland on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch Six Nations clash Everything you need to know ahead of the final round clash Luke Baker15 March 2025 10:00 Italy v Ireland Welcome to The Independent's coverage of Six Nations Super Saturday, which kicks off with a fascinating clash between Italy and Ireland in Rome. That one starts at 2.15pm and we'll have full live coverage Luke Baker15 March 2025 09:55
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How to watch France vs Scotland: TV channel and live stream for Six Nations today
France will hope to clinch the Six Nations title when they host Scotland tonight. Les Bleus are in pole position to claim their first championship since 2022 and only a second in the last 15 years on Super Saturday, having produced a dominant second-half display to crush defending champions Ireland in Dublin in the biggest game of the competition last weekend despite a serious injury to superstar captain Antoine Dupont. Fabien Galthie's side know that a victory with a bonus point in Paris this evening would guarantee the title regardless of what happens elsewhere earlier in the day, while a win without a bonus would also surely be enough given their vastly superior points difference. However, a shock failure to win could open the door to England or Ireland, who travel to face Wales and Italy respectively in earlier kick-offs. Scotland aren't mathematically out of the title hunt themselves on the final day after holding off a spirited second-half fightback from Wales at Murrayfield in round four, but it would take a truly extraordinary sequence of events for them to claim a first championship in the Six Nations era. TV channel: The final fixture on Six Nations Super Saturday is being televised live in the UK on ITV1 and STV, with coverage starting at 7:15pm GMT ahead of an 8pm kick-off. Live stream: ITVX will also have a free live stream service online. Live blog: Follow the action with Standard Sport's dedicated live match blog.
