A few weeks back, I wrote about the benefit to Ireland of Ciarán Frawley’s move to Connacht next season. More outhalves wearing the 10 jersey can only be a positive. Less stockpiling of genuinely good players.
Now, less than a week out from the Six Nations opener in Paris, Michael Milne’s decision last April to go on loan from Leinster to Munster, before he signed a two-year contract in the summer, looks like a huge call for everyone involved.
Especially the Irish scrum at the Stade de France next Thursday night.
Nobody could have expected three loosehead props to go down injured before the Six Nations. But that is what happened when Jack Boyle suffered a leg injury at the Sportsground – sorry, Dexcom stadium – last weekend.
With Andrew Porter and Paddy McCarthy already gone, Andy Farrell will turn to Munster props Milne and Jeremy Loughman unless Tom O’Toole switches over from tighthead.
Nobody in the Ireland camp will take any comfort from the fact that they do not have to deal with the best number three in the world after Uini Antonio was forced into sudden retirement on Wednesday after a heart attack.
Just terrible, shocking news that puts the Ireland propping issues into perspective.
I don’t know the team yet but Milne, like Frawley in making his choice for next season and similar to Nick Timoney moving to Ulster, took a big risk by switching provinces with one overarching aim: international caps.
Why else would they do it?
These are ambitious professional athletes who could turn a few years down the depth chart at Leinster into a contract at an English or French club.
Milne, presumably, holds the same aspirations as Paddy or Jack; get on the pitch and, build up the number of scrums against big tightheads in the URC so that he is in the frame for an Ireland call-up.
Munster’s Michael Milne could make his Six Nations debut against France next Thursday. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
Michael and Jeremy won’t fear the Stade de France cauldron. They might the next time this opportunity comes around. The first time in St-Denis you are taking in the carnival atmosphere. There is this reverberating wall of sound that hits you as the French free-flowing rugby starts to click.
There will always be a period when they run riot and green jerseys lie strewn across the pitch. But adrenaline outlasts fear. In Paris, against France, you don’t have time to bleed. Never mind being overwhelmed.
Ireland cannot plan to avoid scrummaging. I don’t think that is possible in a Test match. Wet days lead to knock-ons as weather tends to dictate when the long metal studs are screwed on.
I reckon Milne will get the keys to the car. A third cap, having replaced Jack Boyle against Georgia and Portugal in the summer, in a championship opener away to France. No better man.
Sorry, this column was meant to be about the greatest rugby player I’ve ever come close to. Best that’s ever played the game, in my mind.
His name should not come as a surprise. Nines don’t really come into contact with each other that much. But Antoine Dupont is not really a scrumhalf. He’s a little bit of every position. Surely there’s never been a more freakishly powerful human who is only 5ft 9in tall.
There was one time, Toulouse at Thomond Park, the last 16 match in 2021, when I blocked down his box kick. Jesus, I’m half winning this battle! I spoke way too soon. He ran in two late tries to end our European run. Lovely finishes both, sprinting after a line break and fending off the last defender.
Antoine Dupont scoring one of his tries for Toulouse against Munster in 2021. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
Dupont is the difference-maker in most games. You can’t distract him. He won’t retaliate.
Another time I remember him spinning down the short side and bouncing off two tacklers. Normally that’s that. Ruck. Isolated. Guaranteed turnover. Not this man. He has such a low centre of gravity that he could reverse and loop around to attack the openside, gliding and weaving as his initial bad decision had no consequences. He chipped over, someone gathered. Try.
Antoine Dupont’s power should not be underestimated. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images
I know people will shout names such as Jonah Lomu and Riche McCaw. But I’ve never seen a better player than Dupont. He’s pure class. A ridiculous player. Remember his defence against Leinster in the 2024 final? I counted four turnovers close to the Toulouse try line. He won the tournament on the ground.
France have shaken off the 2023 World Cup hangover. It took a while. We were too devasted to notice the host nation being knocked out by South Africa a day after we lost to New Zealand. Same stadium. Same place Ireland and Milne are pulling a shift next Thursday.
Fabien Galthié has swung the axe by dropping Grégory Alldritt, Damian Penaud and Gaël Fickou, mainly because he can. I don’t think any other head coach in the game at the moment would get away with such a shoulder-shruggingly French decision to drop three of the country’s toughest and most flamboyant (especially Penaud) players.
But Galthié has the power to do just that. Maybe he is playing chess, thinking two years ahead to the World Cup in Australia.
Even without those three veteran stars, Atonio and the injured Romain Ntamack, every position will be filled with a serious player. Such as Matthieu Jalibert at outhalf.
It’s still a great French side. They’ll smell blood now Ireland are down so many props, and Bundee Aki is suspended.
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Their approach will come as no surprise to any Irish player. Enormous physicality, similar to what the Springboks threw at them in November, with all sorts of runners off Dupont. If the defensive line holds, Dupont will feed Jalibert and he will attempt the spectacular.
When the French tails are up all you can do is tackle your man and hope they eventually run out of steam. Keep the scoreboard ticking whenever possible and somehow stymie the greatest to ever do it.
I can’t call it yet. Too early. I’ll put my head on the block before kick-off in the Virgin Media studio as I’m joining Rob Kearney and Matty Williams for another type of Six Nations debut on Thursday evening.
Lose in Paris and nobody is going to panic. Win, like Ireland did in 2024, and the players will get a serious infusion of belief. It sets the tone.