France coach Fabien Galthie ‘not in danger’ despite disastrous start to Six Nations

France coach Fabien Galthie’s job is “not in danger”, the president of the French federation (FFR) has stressed, despite a difficult start to this year’s Six Nations.

The pre-championship favourites were beaten comfortably by Ireland in the tournament opener in Marseille, and were the width of a post away from a defeat to Italy in round three.

That draw with the Azzurri in Lille leaves France fourth heading into the second fallow week, with pressure building on a squad struggling to bounce back from Rugby World Cup disappointment on home soil in the autumn.

Rumours of off-field tensions have again sprung up with familiar clashes between club and country again threatening the French national team’s success, while the absence of Antoine Dupont, who is playing sevens ahead of a bid for Olympic gold at Paris 2024, and other senior figures has been felt keenly.

Speculation over Galthie’s future intensified after a wasteful, uneven performance against Italy characterised by Jonathan Danty’s sending off, but Florian Grill has given his backing to the former scrum half.

“I am a manager. I am not the type of person to make swift changes due to pressure,” Grill, president of the FFR, told AFP. “It’s not a decision made based on one game, one point and not on a transition period of matches that are difficult.

“Fabien Galthie is absolutely not under pressure. There’s a big transition period to manage. It’s not done overnight.

“You have to give them time. The message is resilience, solidarity, work.”

France can perhaps feel fortunate that a contentious decision at Murrayfield gave them victory over Scotland to prevent a winless start to the tournament.

They next travel to Cardiff to face Wales on Sunday 10 March, and will be without centre Danty, who has been suspended, and starting fly half Matthieu Jalibert, who is set to miss the rest of the tournament due to injury.

With Romain Ntamack still not back from the serious knee issue that caused him to miss the World Cup, it leaves Galthie with a choice to make at ten, with the uncapped Antoine Gibert the only other specialist option in his squad.

Full back Thomas Ramos deputised for Jalibert during the Italy game and is comfortable at the position, while La Rochelle’s Antoine Hastoy was a member of the French squad at the World Cup. Youngster Hugo Reus has pushed Hastoy hard for Ronan O’Gara’s side this season and may also be an option.