The Fabien Galthie gambles that put pressure on France’s Six Nations title defence

It was the striking eyewear of a different French leader that caught the attention of Davos this week, but beneath his familiar thick spectacles, Fabien Galthie was not to be outdone. The words, both public and private, of Emmanuel Macron may carry a geopolitical heft beyond that of the announcement of a France Six Nations squad, yet perhaps the most striking statement of the week from a petit general re-organising his troops.

Out from Galthie’s squad go Gregory Alldritt and Gael Fickou, who both captained France last year; excluded, too, is Damian Penaud, a matter of months after knocking off Serge Blanco as his nation’s leading try-scorer. If each has felt the cold edge of the axe before under Galthie, a triple omission of figures of such stature nonetheless heightens the tensions for a head coach plotting his Six Nations title defence.

One can find logic and reason to each exclusion. Alldritt has mirrored the mixed form of his club, La Rochelle, with the emergence of Mickael Guillard and return of Charles Ollivon providing alternative No 8 options. The steady head of Fickou, two short of becoming the third Frenchman to 100 international caps, is surplus to requirements as a new band of centres burst on to the scene as he once did. Penaud’s considerable gifts are deemed to no longer outweigh his defensive and aerial drawbacks; Pau’s Theo Attissogbe and Gregoire Arfeuil, and Toulon’s Gael Drean, are the new darling young wing things, along with Bromley-born Olympic sevens gold medallist Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang. There is also a first call-up for lock Tom Staniforth, who has qualified on residency after five years with Castres since leaving Australia.

Though there is sense to each selection, there is a strange pressure, too, on a figure to which a French rugby public has never quite fully warmed. This is despite Galthie restoring the national side to former glories last seen two decades ago, with a 2022 grand slam followed up by more Six Nations success last year. Part of the problem, perhaps, is that there have almost been two Galthies – the national icon commanding respect and controlling a highly successful side, and the zany gambler with tendency to both speak and select in the abstract.

Besides, the failings have been almost as high-key as the bright points of his premiership. The ejection from the 2023 World Cup at the quarter-final stage still stings, with a 14-man South Africa rubbing salt in the scar with a repeat win in November. Galthie is hamstrung, too, by a rare rugby ecosystem in which clubs are king – the French rugby federation (FFR) and Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) have just agreed a new deal through to 2031 that will again see the French head coach’s hands tied when it comes to selection for the July international window, despite the advent of the Nations Championship, with the Top 14 prioritised.

While Ireland and England’s presence in Paris in the Six Nations would still make France favourites, disquiet over Galthie may grow if a limp campaign follows his bold calls. The depth apparent on the charge to last year’s title makes such a scenario unlikely but there are key decisions to be made. A curious relationship with Matthieu Jalibert makes Europe’s form fly half a figure of particular intrigue, although an injury to Romain Ntamack may simplify the selection decision for the first couple of rounds at least.

Still, though, the question looms, with the uniting of a more pragmatic Ntamack with clubmate Antoine Dupont long established as Galthie’s preferred half-back pairing. Since the beginning of 2021, France have lost just two games that the Toulouse combination have started together; a nation still wonders what might have been at their home World Cup if not for the fly half’s knee and scrum half’s cheek. Ntamack’s eventual return in this campaign will prompt a decision, provided Jalibert retains form.

France squad for 2026 Six Nations

Props: Dorian Aldegheri, Uini Atonio, Cyrill Baille, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Regis Montagne, Rodrigue Neti, Dany Priso, Tevita Tatafu.

Hookers: Maxime Lamothe, Julian Marchant, Peato Mauvaka.

Locks: Hugo Auradou, Thibaud Flament, Emmanuel Meafou, Tom Staniforth.

Back rowers: Paul Boudehent, Francois Cros, Alexandre Fischer, Mickael Guillard, Oscar Jegou, Anthony Jelonch, Temo Matiu, Lenni Nouchi, Charles Ollivon, Cameron Woki.

Scrum halves: Thibault Daubagna, Antoine Dupont, Baptiste Serin.

Fly halves: Matthieu Jalibert, Ugo Seunes.

Centres: Fabien Brau-Boirie,Nicolas Depoortere, Kalvin Gourgues, Yoram Moefana, Noah Nene.

Back three: Gregoire Arfeuil, Theo Attissogbe, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Romain Buros, Gael Drean, Aaron Grandidier Nkanang, Thomas Ramos