The 2026 edition of the Six Nations Tournament opens on Thursday with a summit clash between France, reigning champions, and Ireland. A competition during which the French XV hopes to offer effective and attractive rugby, relying on young players and the return of its emblematic captain Antoine Dupont.

Published on: 05/02/2026 - 07:14

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There is no shortage of motivating factors for Antoine Dupont to face Ireland on Thursday February 5 at the Stade de France. He who has not played with the Blues since a serious injury suffered against this same team almost 11 months ago will be the captain of a French XV given favorite for this Six Nations Tournament.

The return to blue of Antoine Dupont, considered the best player in the world at his scrum-half position, is logically eagerly awaited. He has made very convincing outings in the jersey of his club Stade Toulouse since the end of November and seems to have regained all his means in the light of this new Six Nations Tournament, a competition already won last year by the Blues.

The 2026 edition offers them a daunting challenge, that of a back-to-back which would allow them to retain their title, a feat achieved by the Irish in 2023 and 2024. The Greens then competed for the hegemony of world rugby with South Africa and reigned over the Old Continent.

They have since lost valuable battles, notably against the Blues in Dublin in 2025, and are now only 4th in the world, just ahead of the French. A place that the XV du Trèfle, despite several major injuries, will be keen to defend at the Stade de France. By winning the brand new Solidarity trophy, which will now be awarded each year to the winner of the matches between France and Ireland in the Tournament.

This opening match is, for the first time, organized on a Thursday evening, so as not to face the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Because these two major sporting events are broadcast by France Télévisions. A weekday program which did not deter spectators since this summit match will be played, as usual in recent seasons, to a full house.

The hinge, a “romantic subject” for Galthié

This unprecedented planning, on the other hand, had repercussions on the Blues' week of preparation. Gathered at the Marcoussis National Rugby Center, they learned on Tuesday the composition concocted by coach Fabien Galthié. He revealed a rejuvenated team compared to that of the previous Tournament, with notably Théo Attissogbe (21 years old), Louis Bielle-Biarrey (22 years old) and Nicolas Depoortère (23 years old) in the three-quarter line. The youngest Kalvin Gourgues (20 years old) will take his place on the bench, alongside forwards Lenni Nouchi and Hugo Auradou, both 22 years old.

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The French coach has actually chosen to give their chances to young players who are shining at the club, by depriving himself of certain more experienced executives for this competition. A policy that delights former French coach Philippe Saint-André, now manager of the Provence Rugby club in Pro D2. “We are lucky to have a fairly exceptional generation of young French people in the Top 14,” he explains, adding that “Fabien Galthié waited for the return of captain Dupont to launch young players.”

The 29-year-old scrum-half, who will win his 60th cap against Ireland, will indeed have the mission of mentoring the young players and giving them confidence. And he will also have to find his feet with fly-half Matthieu Jalibert, who started against Ireland. “What I expect from the hinge is what I have observed over the past ten days: complicity and concentration,” the coach declared at a press conference on Tuesday.

He thus closed the debate around the hinge which is raging in France, a “romantic subject” according to him. Because if the choice of Antoine Dupont is beyond doubt for the 9 position, his association with Jalibert (35 caps) has not always been convincing in the past. But given the form of the Bordeaux opener and the withdrawal of Toulouse's Romain Ntamack, the Matthieu Jalibert option naturally emerged. And these two very creative players will therefore be responsible for making the French attack shine, without neglecting defensive tasks.

The inspiring pillar Uini Atonio, forced to stop rugby

The offensive performance of a French team which ended the year 2025 on a rather dull note at home will depend on the understanding between these two talented players. She was beaten by the South African world champions in November (17-32) and signed two victories without fully convincing against Fiji and Australia. Results which put the pressure back on coach Fabien Galthié two years before the 2027 World Cup.

He knows that any other result than a victory in the Tournament, if not a Grand Slam, would be seen as a setback due to the three receptions (Ireland, Italy, England) during this 2026 edition. And to the pressure of results is added that of the manner. He said in recent days he felt “the flame lit in 2020”, when he was making his mark at the head of the Blues with his staff.

This era was marked by the arrival of several young players and a very unbridled game. The French XV then notably competed with the English in the final of the Autumn Nations Cup in November 2020, losing by only 3 points at Twickenham (22-19). A poster which will be repeated this year on the last day of the Tournament, this time at the Stade de France where France will host the XV de la Rose on March 14.

The Blues will then perhaps try to win a Grand Slam in front of their home crowd. To do this, they will first have to beat Ireland and Italy in Paris and win in Wales and among the formidable Scots. Invited to speak about his objectives, Fabien Galthié advised observers and fans of the French XV on Tuesday to “take the joy where it is” and savor the first match against the Irish, without planning for the future.

This meeting against the Irish, the Blues will play without one of their executives. Victim of a heart attack last week, pillar Uini Atonio, 37, was forced to end his career. The French coach had a thought for this emblematic player (68 caps) who, despite the difficulties, “never gave up on the pitch”. Against Ireland, “he will inspire the two players selected” at the right pillar position, added Fabien Galthié, hoping that Atonio will be able to accompany them during the match against England. He will then perhaps witness a new Grand Slam for the Blues, he who was there during the previous one in 2022.

Called to the Blues to prepare for the 2026 Tournament, Thibaud Flament announced that he would miss the opening match in order to be able to carry out medically assisted procreation (MAP) with his partner, who suffers from endometriosis. The 28-year-old second row (34 caps), who has become essential at Stade Toulouse and with the Blues, spoke to the daily L'Équipe. “Very quickly, we realized that it was not necessarily going to be easy to have a child. We understood that we were going to have to carry out a PMA,” explains the player. “We cannot control the date. (…) It is not possible to do both, so I will not play against Ireland,” he added, insisting on the fact that endometriosis “concerns the couple and not only women”.

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