France head coach Fabien Galthie has labelled the Irish clear-out on Antoine Dupont which induced a suspected “critical knee harm” as “reprehensible”, calling for Tadhg Beirne and Andrew Porter to be cited. 

France captain and talisman Dupont limped off within the first half of Saturday’s 42-27 Six Nations victory over Eire in Dublin, with referee Angus Gardner ruling the reason for the harm as an unlucky rugby incident, and so not foul play.

On replays, Dupont’s leg seems to be inadvertently trapped in a ruck as Beirne – with Porter in shut attendance – enter to take away him as a breakdown menace.

Galthie was extraordinarily sturdy on the incident post-match, although, and believes each gamers must be cited and suspended.

“We felt dangerous for Antoine Dupont. On the act [ruck clear-out], which is for my part reprehensible, there are methods to check and take a look at this act. We felt very dangerous for him. He’s struggling, we’re struggling with him,” Galthie advised France 2 at full-time.

• France brush off lack of Antoine Dupont to smash Eire in Dublin
• Six Nations 2025: Fixtures, outcomes, schedule | Desk
• Marcus Smith dropped as Daly, Fin Smith begin for England towards Italy
• Not bought Sky? Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract on NOW 📺

Galthie added at his post-match press convention: “For Antoine, there’s suspicion of a reasonably critical knee harm. I will not go into particulars resulting from medical confidentiality, however Antoine is struggling.

“Now we have really useful gamers to look earlier than the Six Nations disciplinary committee: Tadhg Beirne and Andrew Porter. Calvin Nash has additionally been really useful for the Pierre-Louis Barassi [high tackle] as a result of he didn’t reply favorably to the HIA protocol.

“Our gamers didn’t return to the pitch. We wish to perceive why. On this difficulty, we’re offended.

“We need to shield our gamers, there are guidelines. The citing commissioner should research the actions and resolve if they’re reprehensible or not. Neither Antoine nor Pierre-Louis returned to the pitch. One for a clear-out, the opposite for a [head] contact.

“When Antoine Dupont has to go off, we carry on Max Lucu, in whom we now have whole confidence. He was incredible. He took management of the sport and made a really, very high-level return. I am very glad for Max.”

Lucu: Dupont was in tears in dressing room | Cros: Dupont was actually struggling, it gave us motivation

France substitute scrum-half Maxime Lucu, who got here on for Dupont, advised media…

“We all know what Antoine offers to the group. We needed to pay tribute to him, we noticed him in tears within the dressing room.

“We needed to remobilise and provides him this victory.”

France back-row ahead François Cros advised media…

“It is by no means simple to see a team-mate go off, particularly Antoine. We’ll await the medical outcomes, however at half-time, he was actually struggling.

“It gave us much more motivation. We additionally wished to win for him, to ensure every thing he gave on the sphere wasn’t in useless.

“We’re tremendous proud to offer him this large victory right now.”

Easterby: Nothing unlawful in Beirne’s clear-out of Dupont – a kind of issues that occurs sadly

Eire interim head coach Simon Easterby advised media at his post-match press convention…

“I believe it is only a rugby incident the place Tadhg [Beirne] cleans out somebody in entrance of Antoine Dupont and he will get hit on the again of that. It occurs, sadly.

“Gamers have an actual consciousness now of clearing out on the decrease limb of the participant, which might create that kind of harm, however that wasn’t the case.

“He was securing his personal ball and never making contact on Dupont. It is simply a kind of issues sadly. It occurs within the recreation.”

What’s subsequent?

Eire full their championship away to Italy on the Stadio Olimpico in Rome subsequent Saturday March 15 (2.15pm kick-off).

France host Scotland of their final recreation of the championship as they play the ultimate Take a look at of three on Saturday March 15 (8pm kick-off).

British & Irish Lions tour of Australia on Sky Sports activities

Sky Sports activities will completely present the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Assessments towards the Wallabies and 6 warm-up matches to be proven completely stay.

Sky Sports activities+ has formally launched and will likely be built-in into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports activities app – giving Sky Sports activities clients entry to over 50 per cent extra stay sport this 12 months at no further value. Stream the EFL, Take a look at cricket and extra prime sport with NOW.