France Player Ratings vs Wales

1/31/2025 20:15

Stade de France

Ref: Paul Williams

France 2

Six Nations

43

0

Round 1

Wales 2

Attissogbe (17', 33'), Bielle-Biarrey (22', 40'), Marchand (54'), Gailleton (67'), Alldritt (77')

Tries

Ramos (18', 23', 34', 41')

Conversions

On a valiant night for the French with a few standout players there were a few green shoots for the Welsh in what was a dismal evening for them in the French Capital.

France Starting XV

1. Jean-Baptiste Gros

   6/10 - Nothing too exciting from the loosehead. Struggled to assert any dominance at scrum time but offered himself up for an impressive 10 carries in the 50 minutes he was on.

2. Peato Mauvaka

   6/10 - Very quiet evening by his standards. Not much action with ball in hand and with the wingers on the end of crossfield kicks for scores - didnt get a chance to see him in the wide channels as we often do

3. Uini Atonio

   6/10 - Arguably the only part of the French side that didn't dazzle last night. The 145kg Tight Head made only 1metre in attack and just 6 tackles before being replaced by Le Bombe Squad.

4. Alexandre Roumat

   5.5/10 - 3 knock ons in the loose from the the Toulouse Lock and failed to cross the gainline in 3 out of 5 of his carries. Will need to be better against more formidable opposition.

5. Emmanuel Meafou

   7/10 - The best of a somewhat average tight five performance. 10 Carries, 11 tackles and physically imposing at ruck time - had a strong 50 minutes.

6. François Cros

7/10 - Hard to ask for more from a blindside flanker. 14/14 tackle completion with one turnover and one lineout and no handling errors. Taken off at the hour mark with a solid blindsides performance

7. Paul Boudehent

   6.5/10 - Not a day for openside flankers. One-Out runners to defend against and no real jackal threat opportunities. Played the full 80 but a quiet night overall.

8. Grégory Alldritt

   8/10 - The broadcasters Man of The Match and can understand why. 16 Carries and 16 tackles and 100% ruck efficiency the French 8 took a lot of the responsibility of the forward pack on his shoulders for the evening. A classy performance

9. Antoine Dupont

   8/10 - Just.....Different. The way he plays the game from the base of a ruck just creates moments for all around him. The two try assists were sublime and all around play just mesmerising. Would be upset in the crowd to see him go off at 50 minutes.

10. Romain Ntamack

    6.5/10 - A fairly easy evening for the Toulouse 10. Not a night for phase play or game management. Had an arm chair ride for most of the game and then a stupid lapse of concentration cost him a red card and will definitely miss of le crunch in Twickenham.

11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey

    7/10 - Out and Out Gas. Hungry for work off his wing. Struggled under the high ball early, and beggars belief why Wales didnt continue with that strategy. But 2 Tries and 5 defenders beaten from a winger - you'd take that.

12. Yoram Moefana

    8/10 - An unsung hero in the French performance. Outclassed his opposite centres with a solid defensive display. Wasnt a night for attack from the centres but defensively Moefana topped the French Leaderboard with 17 and his work rate in closing space just frazzled the Welsh backs.

13. Pierre-Louis Barassi

7/10 - Much like his centre partner but just a bit further out so had a lot less work to do due to Wales's blunt attack. Still knocked up 14 tackles, looking forward to see some attack from this duo in the coming weeks, just wasn't needed last night.

14.Theo Attisogbe

7.5/10 - France were meant to be at a disadvantage in the absence of Damian Penaud but this young flyer stepped up like it was nothing. Took both tries fantastically well and looked strong in the middle of the park when looking for the ball - a talent!

15. Thomas Ramos (full back)

7/10 - Possibly the most reliable 22m conversion kicker in World Rugby at the moment. Salt in the Welsh Wounds at times as he pinged it from the corners following tries. A quiet night otherwise but his kicking was sensational.