A duel at the top of world rugby awaits the Blues in Dublin: the two best teams of the moment meet face to face, a first in the history of the Tournament since the establishment of the World Rugby ranking in 2003.

On the one hand, the Irish, installed at the top of the rugby planet for 29 weeks, coming out of a demonstration in Wales (34-10) after a victorious tour in New Zealand;

on the other, the XV of France, ambitious with long teeth, undefeated for fourteen matches, winner of the entire top 10 in the world but which remains on a sluggish victory in Italy (29-24).

"They are favorites. There is no debating. They are world N.1, the first day in Wales shows and proves it. They are largely favorites", insisted the opener of the Blues Romain Ntamack in an interview with AFP.

On the Irish side, however, we have not forgotten that Fabien Galthié's men are the only ones to have brought them down last year.

"We know it's another beast that's coming, it's the France we know that's going to show up. We're preparing for that and we're really looking forward to testing ourselves against the winner of the Grand Slam of the last year," assured Leinster and Ireland winger James Lowe (30, 16 caps).

"They're a world class team and they've shown that for a few years with a scary hinge, world class players or a back triangle that gives most of their opponents chills," he added. .

make an impression

Just over six months before the World Cup in France (September 8-October 28), the teammates of Antoine Dupont, the best player in the world in 2021, could make an impression in the event of a victory in Dublin while taking a psychological advantage against a opponent they could find in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

Matthieu Jalibert in Rome on February 5, 2023 © Vincenzo PINTO / AFP

If they do not lose in Ireland, they will also steal the world No.1 spot from the teammates of Josh van der Flier, best player in the world 2022.

"Already, we will be very happy to win on Saturday. It will mean that we are still in the running for a second Grand Slam and that is really the objective. Beyond making an impression, beyond thinking about the World Cup", tempered Ntamack.

"If we want to continue to defend our title and write history, it goes through a victory in Ireland", he still assured.

The Blues are the last team to win in Dublin, 15-13 in February 2021, in a closed-door Aviva Stadium.

Tadhg Beirne in Cardiff on February 4, 2023 © Geoff Caddick / AFP

Since then, England (32-18), Japan (39-31 and 60-5), the United States (71-10), New Zealand (29-20), Argentina (53-7 ), Wales (29-7), Italy (57-6), Scotland (26-5), South Africa (19-16), Fiji (35-17) and Australia (13-10) in turn broke their teeth on the Irish mountain.

To climb to the very top of world rugby, "our 'peak' of the year", according to Galthié, the Blues will have to avoid making the same mistakes as in Rome where they seemed borrowed and were penalized at eighteen occasions.

The 2023 World Cup starts now.

© 2023 AFP