France's Rugby Scrum Challenges Shadow 2026 Six Nations Success

The French rugby team is on the brink of winning the 2026 Six Nations Tournament after a strong 33-8 win against Italy, moving closer to a Grand Slam with two matches remaining against Scotland and England. However, former international prop Sylvain Marconnet has raised concerns about France’s scrum performance, specifically highlighting the right prop position as a critical weakness that could hinder their prospects at the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Marconnet, capped 85 times, emphasized the significance of a powerful right prop, lamenting the retirement of Uini Atonio as a major loss that left a gap the team has struggled to fill. He stated, “For me, it is crucial to have a strong right prop, and with Atonio gone, we have lost a significant advantage.” He also voiced skepticism about the pipeline of emerging talent, noting a lack of promising players transitioning from the under-20 squads to fill this vital role.

Compounding scrutiny of this position, current right prop Dorian Aldegheri drew attention for wearing a noticeably oversized jersey during the Italy match. The 1.80m, 119kg Aldegheri humorously acknowledged the ill-fitting kit, saying, “It is too big, it is much too big this jersey.” Despite the wardrobe mishap, Aldegheri has made three consecutive starts and holds 24 caps, reflecting his ongoing contribution as France pushes towards the tournament title.

As France prepares for its closing fixtures, the team's strong overall play is tempered by the need to solidify scrum dominance. The upcoming matches on March 7 and 14 will test whether the squad can maintain their momentum while addressing these key positional concerns ahead of the World Cup.