Storm Clouds Hover over France Coach Galthie ahead of Scotland Clash

Paris (AFP) - France head coach Fabien Galthie finds himself facing criticism for the first time since taking over after the 2019 Rugby World Cup, following his team's 38-17 defeat to Ireland in the Six Nations.

The loss, the second heaviest home defeat in French rugby history, has left Galthie with the task of restoring morale ahead of their match against Scotland in Edinburgh this weekend.

Galthie may be missing the presence of Antoine Dupont, who is currently pursuing Olympic sevens gold. France felt the absence of their talisman much more than Ireland did without their retired icon Johnny Sexton.

While Galthie could point to the fact that France played most of the game with 14 men after lock Paul Willemse was sin-binned and then red carded, former France coach Philippe Saint-Andre was not impressed.

"The thing that surprised me the most was the difference in the speed of movement," said Saint-Andre. "The Irish were playing at a much higher intensity. They tackled and got back on their feet quicker than we did."

Mourad Boudjellal, former owner of Toulon, believes the issue lies with Galthie's character, having employed him as head coach for a season.

"He is a great technician but not a great man manager," said Boudjellal. "With the departure of those coaches who balanced Galthie's weaknesses and could say 'no' to him, we could end up with the Galthie we knew at Toulon. That is, a man who tends to create tension in the dressing room and never takes the blame for mistakes."

• Lingering Disappointment -

Galthie and the players claim to have moved on from the devastating defeat to South Africa in the World Cup quarter-final last October. However, Saint-Andre believes there is still work to be done in that regard.

"At the World Cup, I felt we were on the same level as other teams when we didn't have the ball," said Saint-Andre. "But three months later, that is no longer the case. Is it a physical issue? Or a mix of mental and physical reasons? This difference was evident against Ireland. There were instances when some players were not running but walking and struggled to get back into position."

While some believe drastic changes are necessary, Galthie is unlikely to make many alterations for the Scotland match. Assistant coach William Servat stated that they have confidence in their players and making wholesale changes would be a mistake.

Galthie's former teammate Richard Dourthe and former French lock Pascal Pape believe that introducing young, fresh talent is the way forward.

"I think it's the right time to give young players a chance," tweeted Pape, who urged patience contrary to others.

Dourthe, known for his combative play and punditry, believes the outcome of the Scotland match will be critical. A French defeat would mark the first time they have lost three consecutive games since Galthie took charge after the 2019 World Cup.

"Simply put, if the Marseille performance against Ireland was not an isolated incident and if there is no response in Scotland, then the entire strategy, even the system, must be reevaluated for the next four years," Dourthe expressed to Midi Olympique.