France vs Ireland Prediction and Betting Tips: Best bets for Six Nations 2024 opener
Posted: 14:06 Friday 2nd February 2024
It’s the opening game of the 2024 Six Nations, but some are already describing France vs Ireland as a title decider.
These two sides have finished in the top two of the standings in the last two years, with France taking the title in 2022 and Ireland in 2023.
Les Bleus head into this year’s tournament in what seems like a better place than their opponents and home advantage could prove crucial on Friday.
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France vs Ireland Tips
France -4 on Handicap
There will still be frustration among the French camp that they weren’t able to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy on home soil last year, only reaching the quarter-finals.
They did fall at the hands of eventual champions South Africa, but it still wasn’t the outcome they had planned, and a big showing in this year’s Six Nations is now expected.
France lost just one game in the 2023 tournament, which was to Ireland in Dublin, and revenge will be on their mind when they meet in Friday’s opener.
Coach Fabien Galthie has made five changes from the starting XV that lost to the Springboks, with the most notable switch seeing Maxime Lucu replacing Antoine Dupont - who has temporarily moved to Rugby Sevens - at scrum-half.
You could argue that Ireland are in a period of transition, especially after the retirement of their all-time leading points-scorer, Johnny Sexton.
Experienced back-rower Peter O’Mahony has been handed the captain’s armband, but Andy Farrell will be missing winger Mack Hansen and centre Garry Ringrose due to injury.
Anytime Try Scorer - Damian Penaud
France have last season’s Six Nations top try scorer in their ranks, with winger Damian Penaud having crossed the try line five times in the 2023 tournament.
The 27-year-old, who scored France’s only try in the 32-19 defeat in Dublin, has continued his good form into 2024.
Penaud is currently joint-top try scorer in the European Champions Cup, with the Bordeaux Begles star racking up four tries in four Pool 1 fixtures.
France may have finished behind Ireland in the standings last year, but Les Bleus also had the top points scorer in the Six Nations.
Full-back Thomas Ramos scored 84 points in their five matches, which was 49 points more than second-placed Sexton.
Winning Margin - France 6-10 points
Friday night’s clash will take place in Marseille, as the Stade de France is being readied for the Olympics, with a vocal home backing expected.
Losing an inspirational fly-half would impact any international side, but Ireland are also having to deal with the loss of the versatile Keith Earls to retirement.
They are two massive holes to fill and in his pre-match press conference, coach Farrell has admitted that the game could turn into a “war of attrition”.
The last two meetings between the sides in France have been won by the home side, by six points in 2022 and eight points in 2020.
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