Attissogbé provides France lift-off in Six Nations with emphatic win over Wales | Six Nations 2025

Worrying occasions for the Welsh, worrying occasions for anybody who has a sport developing in opposition to this French workforce within the coming weeks. They began the 2025 Six Nations by beating Wales 43-0, they usually did it with out coming anyplace close to the tempo they’re able to enjoying. The one blemish for the French was a purple card for Romain Ntamack, who was despatched off for a excessive sort out on Dan Edwards when there have been ten minutes left to play. It didn’t make a lot distinction this week, however, (who is aware of?) it might do subsequent one, after they play England at Twickenham.

The Welsh appeared terrible small on the market, surrounded by flames, fireworks, and the blindingly vivid blue, purple and white lights, whereas their handful of travelling followers had been drowned out by the tens of hundreds of French belting out an unaccompanied La Marseillaise. Their skipper Jac Morgan gathered them right into a huddle, and did his greatest to metal them for what was to return. The French got here at them onerous within the opening moments, as Morgan absolutely warned they’d, being prepared for the blow, although, didn’t appear to make it an excessive amount of simpler to put on when it got here. Inside minutes, Morgan’s workforce was reeling.

Thomas Ramos kicked a 50-22, and a few phases later Antoine Dupont barreled his means over beneath the posts, hauling three Welsh tacklers with him as he dived throughout the road. One in all them, Tom Rogers, managed to cease Dupont grounding the ball.

It was solely a short lived reprieve. Quickly sufficient, the French had been again within the Welsh 22, this time when Paul Boudenhent hacked the ball on after it was spilled in midfield. He fumbled the decide up as he dived forwards, however Dupont scragged Ben Thomas as he tried to clear the ball off the again of the following scrum. Tomos Williams received the ball away on the second try, the French had been quickly proper again on prime of them. This time, Jean-Baptiste Gros was stopped simply wanting the road, however the ball got here again to Dupont, who unlocked the defence with a wizardly little chip to Théo Attissogbé, unmarked on the suitable wing.

That was the primary, then, and the second got here quickly after, made, this time, by Ramos’ basketball go to place Louis Bielle-Biarrey by means of a spot within the midfield.

There was some great things from the Welsh in amongst all of it, their scrum held up, Thomas appeared to have time and house to play within the midfield, and nearly picked out Rogers with a cross-field kick within the French 22, Williams nearly held his personal in opposition to Dupont. They appeared an altogether higher facet than the one which misplaced 12 video games straight final yr. However they had been 14-0 down regardless, had already misplaced Aaron Wainwright, changed by Tommy Reffell, and Owen Watkin to accidents, which meant they needed to carry the uncapped Dan Edwards on at fly-half and transfer Thomas throughout to the centre to cowl for him.

Worse but, they went a person down after Evan Lloyd was despatched to the sin-bin for a excessive sort out on Bielle-Biarrey. Attissogbé picked off one other whereas Lloyd was off, made, once more, by Dupont, who stormed up the center of the pitch after stepping out a sort out like he was selecting his toes over one thing left on the pavement by a careless canine walker. Bielle-Biarrey received a second too, after he turned Rogers inside out in three-square toes of house, and from a standing begin at that, after the ball was flung out of a rolling maul. Forty minutes gone then, and the French had already scored their 4 and earned a bonus level.

The second half, then, had the air of an open coaching train for the French, who cruised by means of it whereas their bands performed within the stands, and their followers chit-chatted about this and that. They ran by means of a defensive set after Wales received a penalty for offside on a uncommon foray into the French 22. They blew the chance when the French crushed their alternative entrance row in a scrum. That carried out, Fabien Galthé made six simultaneous substitutions within the fiftieth minute, and the rejuvenated French pack duly drove their means over from a line out for a fifth. Emilien Gailleton completed the sixth from a crossfield kick.

Alldritt bullied his means over for the seventh, when the Welsh had been, once more, all the way down to 14 males, this time it was Freddie Thomas who had been despatched to the sin bin.

The Welsh saved at it. A scrap broke out after they thought they’d mauled their means over after Ntamack’s dismissal. They’re a proud workforce, and getting higher, however the reality is that within the years since they final received right here, again in 2019, the French have pulled thus far forward that the hole between them is pretty much as good impassable for this Welsh facet, or another they’d be capable of muster proper now.