The China Mail - Three key things for 'crux' Ireland v France Six Nations match

For Ireland, all roads will lead to Rome in their final game with Italy on Saturday week and probably an unprecedented third successive title if they beat the French.

Victory for France -- the last team to win a Six Nations match in Dublin, in 2021 -- would, based on their vastly better points difference, open the way for a second Six Nations crown under Fabien Galthie if they beat Scotland in Paris on that day.

AFP Sports picks out three potential key things that could prove decisive:

Battle of the No 8s

In France's Gregory Alldritt and Ireland captain Caelan Doris fans will be treated to watching, according to Easterby, "two of the best No 8s at the moment playing against each other."

Alldritt said this week that facing Ireland is not only "physically tiring" but also "mentally exhausting" so it may be just as well he has sat out training owing to a tight groin as his energy will be preserved.

Doris too has had to prove his fitness, recovering from a knee injury which prevented him playing in the previous match against Wales.

Both will be integral to how their respective teams click with their ball-carrying skills and ability to force turnovers.

"Alldritt has been a marquee, standout player for them for a number of years," said Easterby.

"I think we've got one of, if not the best, No8s in the world ourselves and there's very little between those two players at the moment."

Easterby, himself an outstanding backrow forward for Ireland from 2000-2008, says whoever of the two impose themselves on the game could be pivotal to the outcome.

"I think that creates another little sub-plot, a little battle in the game that will go a long way to see who gets on the front foot, who gets momentum and potentially goes on to win the game," said the 49-year-old.

Playmakers seek to banish doubts

While there are few question marks hanging over the form of either Irish scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park or his French counterpart Antoine Dupont, the same cannot be said for their half-back partners Sam Prendergast and Romain Ntamack.

Prendergast has the starting role for the moment, the 22-year-old doing enough to keep last year's Six Nations title-winning playmaker Jack Crowley on the replacements bench.

If there is one area which has posed questions about his cementing the first-choice spot permanently, it is his defensive play.

"We certainly have had conversations around it across the Championship, not just after the Wales game," said Easterby.

"But he's fully aware of the need for him to step up in that area and I'm sure we'll see a physical side to Sam on the weekend that will maybe put a few question marks to bed."

The concern regarding Ntamack is more whether he is rusty, having not played since being red-carded in the opening 43-0 thrashing of Wales on January 31.

France head coach Fabien Galthie says Ntamack has kept up to speed by training with the squad even when he was suspended.

"He'll give you the response on Saturday," was Galthie's not altogether convincing reply to how he felt Ntamack would perform.

Keeping emotions in check

As if there was not enough at stake for the hosts, emotions will be even more highly-charged as a trio of legends will be appearing in their final home Test in front of a packed Lansdowne Road.

Cian Healy, Ireland's most capped player with 136 Tests under his belt, scrum-half Conor Murray, who formed one of the most feared halfback partnerships at Test level with Johnny Sexton, and last year's title-winning skipper Peter O'Mahony are all hoping for one last memorable moment in Dublin.

The risk is that with so much emotion the Irish might lose their focus, although Easterby believes they are too professional to allow that to happen.

"It's the last home game of the season for us, it's a number of players' final home appearances in an Irish jersey and there's also something else on the line which is bigger than all of that," said Easterby.

"We hope that will be reflected in the performance."

N.Lo--ThChM