Cian Tracey

Kevin Gourget, I think is how you pronounce it.

He is...

He is serious business.

Yeah, and he's part, you asked about his form.

I saw he was playing on the wing lately and he's part of a wrestling team that are really struggling at the moment.

So...

could be down to form as well and like Gregor Aldridge obviously like you know Penno is the more kind of glitzy glamour name but he's been France's starting number 8 for the last number of years now I know he started on the bench for La Rochelle this weekend they've had an up and down season but Gregor Aldridge is like again like one of the heartbeats of

this French team and I'm not even sure it's not obvious who's going to play number eight I think there's going to be an element of square pegs and round holes because I don't think they have unless I'm mistaken another out and out natural number eight in their squad that's bizarre they have

in November last year against South Africa they played Mikel Giliard who is normally a lock slash back row for Leon another young guy but they played him number 8 it didn't go that well so unless they're looking to play him number 8 but again Audrey like a captain for club he's been captain he captained France while Dupont was out injured very hard to get your head around how he's not in the squad it's mad stuff mhm

So do you think, let me throw a question to you then, do you think with all that in mind and the madness of the French that playing them first up might be the best time to play them?

Yeah, and like Galthier wouldn't be the most popular figure in French rugby either.

I know obviously they won the Six Nations last year, but you hit the nail on the head making a rod for his own back.

If this doesn't go well, there will be absolute outcry in France.

but even like they've named a 42 man squad even having him in the squad just like so the younger players can learn off him because clearly his best years are behind him it just it doesn't make much sense so while we're kind of you know going through the Ireland squad and finding kind of some things to talk about it's nothing like the bomb that Galthier has just dropped no look we'll talk to someone over in France maybe Fiku's

Kind of buying into my own theory that it is the best time to play France.

And I think back to Marseille two years ago, I think the madness that's going on in their camp at the moment.

Now, that said, I mean, you look at the trend of both teams, but France didn't have a great November either.

I mean, they had a terrible second half against South Africa when they lost as well.

It was not quite as bad as Ireland's, but it was certainly...

certainly up there so while they won the Six Nations they didn't send their they didn't send their first choice players to New Zealand at all in the summer so yeah like I mean let's wait and see how it plays out over the next couple of weeks in terms of you know is Hugo Keenan going to be able to start at fullback but cautiously think it's the best time to play them but also equally knowing that that could spectacularly backfire France opening night of Six Nations a Thursday night as well Joe I know it's a