OPINION: Fabien Galthie’s France made a strong start to their Six Nations campaign, dispatching Wales 43-0 at the Stade de France with a certain icy efficiency.

Ian Camneron rates the French players!

1. Jean-Baptiste Gros – 8
Handed Gareth Thomas a few lessons at scrum time, though neither prop was in the mood for small talk. Looked comfortable in the loose, where he got through a mountain of work.

2. Peato Mauvaka – 7.5
Smart in the set-piece, finding his jumpers like a man scanning a menu he already knows by heart. A handful in close quarters and gave the Welsh pack little breathing room.

3. Uini Atonio – 6.5
Towered over Henry Thomas, but his mass advantage didn’t help him much at scrum time. Did a bit better against Nicky Smith. Didn’t waste time with frills in the loose – just direct, abrasive rugby.

4. Alexandre Roumat – 7
Went about his business with minimal fuss, quietly denting Welsh carriers and making sure lineouts stayed on track, even if his handling in the loose let him down on occasion. Like a plongeur at a giant Parisian hotel, he never stopped working.

5. Emmanuel Meafou – 7.5
Carried like a freight train. The Welsh second-row unit struggled to contain the 145kg lock’s power game when he decided to rumble.

6. Francois Cros – 7.5
Efficient all day piling up tackles in a no-nonsense manner. Not the first name on highlight reels, but crucial in shutting down any Welsh sparks.

7. Paul Boudehent – 6
Steady in the breakdown skirmishes, where Jac Morgan tried to unsettle France. A little quiet at times – but few complaints overall.

8. Gregory Alldritt – 8.5
Commanded collisions and refused to let Welsh defenders halt him. As relentless as ever, the La Rochelle star ensured Les Bleus kept up the momentum from start to finish. Deserved his try.

9. Antoine Dupont (captain) – 9
The return of the king. Seemed a step ahead of everyone, including his teammates on occasion. Kept the Welsh back row guessing with tempo changes and pinned Wales back with a boot that remains among the best in the game. Had a hand in everything France did well.

10. Romain Ntamack – 4
Maintained composure [until the 70th minute at least] under pressure and released his runners with a nonchalance that belied the match’s stakes. Gets a 4/10 for a braindead shoulder check on Wales’ Ben Thomas with just ten minutes left to play, an indiscretion that was rightly upgraded to a red card and will likely cost him a chunk of his Six Nations.

11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey – 8
Didn’t see the ball as often as he might have liked, but kept the Welsh defence honest with a few incisive runs. Threatening enough to demand constant vigilance. His 23rd-minute try was easy work for the Bordeaux TGV, although his 5-pointer just before the break needed a little more work.

12. Yoram Moefana – 7
Direct in his carrying, asking questions of the Welsh midfield. Distribution was tidy, if a tad safe. A brick wall in defence. A solid, if understated, evening.

13. Pierre-Louis Barassi – 7
Neat defensive reads and decent link play from the powerful outside centre. Maybe lacked fireworks, but given France’s stranglehold, he wasn’t required to produce any.

14. Theo Attissogbe – 8
Struggled to find open pasture, though he grafted well on the kick chase. Took his 18th and 34th minute tries with ease, suggesting bigger moments are ahead for the blistering fast Pau rookie.

15. Thomas Ramos – 8.5
Opened his account with a supreme 60-metre touchfinder. Economical in everything he did, from pinpoint punts to slicing through defenders.

REPLACEMENTS:

16. Julien Marchand – 8
Slotted in smoothly, keeping set-piece stability intact and offering calm aggression in the loose. Took only his second-ever try for France well.

17. Cyril Baille – 7.5
Brought fresh legs and further stability to the scrum. Showed up in a couple of rucks to ensure France finished strongly.

18. Georges-Henri Colombe – 7
The 142kg tighthead contributed energy against a tiring Welsh front row. Nothing flashy, but did enough to maintain France’s dominance.

19. Hugo Auradou – 6
A steady cameo, secure at the lineout and mobile enough in open play to keep the Welsh forwards on the back foot.

20. Mickael Guillard – 7
A late injection of grunt, offering little in the way of glamour—just what France required in the closing stages.

21. Oscar Jegou – 7
Managed the breakdown tidily, helping extinguish any lingering Welsh hopes. Minimal fuss.

22. Nolann Le Garrec – 8
Brought pace and crisp service late on, challenging the fringes with quick snipes that pinned Wales back further. Lovely back-handed pass in the build-up to Emilien Gailleton’s try.

23. Emilien Gailleton – 8
A glimpse of his attacking spark; scoring just seconds after coming onto the field. A potent reminder of France’s impressive backline depth.

@RugbyPass