Ireland are “comfortably favorites” to win the anticipated Six Nations championship game on Saturday in Dublin, according to France’s fly-half Romain Ntamack.
The team that won the Grand Slam in 2022 is currently ranked first in the world, followed by this weekend’s hosts and Ntamack’s team.
Ireland won their Six Nations opener 34-10 in Wales, while France was put to the test in Italy before winning 29-24.
They are clearly favorites because they are ranked number one in the world, according to Ntamack, 23.
“There is no question; they demonstrated and demonstrated against Wales in the first round.
They excel in every respect. If any, they don’t have many weaknesses. For 80 minutes, there will be an arm-wrestling match.
World Cup hosts are entirely devoted to the Six Nations.
The Rugby World Cup, which will be held in France this year, will cast a long shadow over the Six Nations.
On September 8, France will face three-time champion New Zealand in Paris to open the tournament, but the Toulouse star thinks Les Blues are currently just totally concentrating on the Six Nations.
We’ll be pleased to win on Saturday, first and foremost. It would imply that a second Grand Slam is still possible. Actually, that is the goal, he continued.
“It comes with a win in Ireland if we want to defend our crown and write history, it goes beyond impressing, it goes beyond thinking about the World Cup.”
After a November campaign in which he was not at his spectacular best despite French victories over World Cup holders South Africa, Australia, and Japan, Ntamack set up two tries for teammates at the Stadio Olimpico last Sunday.
“Those events take place. I am aware of my strengths and weaknesses, Ntamack stated.
It didn’t prevent me from sleeping. I’m relieved to be performing at my peak.
Following Leinster’s victory against Toulouse in the 2019 European Champions Cup semifinal, Romain Ntamack and Johnny Sexton shake hands.
Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton, two seasoned Irish half-backs, are described by Ntamack as “guys that we admire.”
Leinster, who are only one behind the squad that Ntamack plays for and have won the Heineken Champions Cup four times, has nine members of Ireland’s starting lineup from last weekend.
The majority of them (90%) are from Leinster, and they have played together for the entire year, continued the France fly-half.
“They are complete insiders. They excel at playing in huge games and are superb athletes.
In Rome, Ntamack and his teammate Antoine Dupont of Toulouse set a record for the most international appearances by a half-back pairing for France with 22.
They will likely play fly-half Johnny Sexton, who has 110 caps and is now 37, as well as fellow Test centurion Conor Murray in Dublin.
Ntamack remarked, “They are athletes that we appreciate, who have endured, and they’re still performing well despite their age.
“Their effectiveness in an Ireland shirt is evident. Although motivating, it ends there because they are our adversaries. We shall attempt to beat them even if we admire them.
