Why France are favourites to win the 2023 Rugby World Cup

September will see France host the Rugby World Cup and the timing could not be more perfect. For the first time ever, Les Bleus will go into the tournament as competition favourites. 

With a record series of 13 consecutive victories and a Grand Slam at the last VI Nations tournament, Fabien Galthié's side seems unstoppable.

The French side seems to have everything going for them. While they are already competing at the top level, the young side – most of whom are under 25 years old – are expected to improve as the players get more time together on the field. 

After years of hardship and tough eliminations in the World Cup – in particular, the 62-13 New Zealand gave them in 2015 – the France XV is ready for redemption. 

After their victory at the 2022 Six Nations tournament, the tricolours seem to have shed their image of 'lovable losers' and, on the contrary, appear today as an indestructible team.

We often hear about 'French flair', this state of grace that affects French rugby players in the heat of a match, creating flashy moments of game-changing brilliance. Few French sides have embodied this spirit in the way the 2023 Les Bleus do. 

Over the past two years, Fabien Galthié's men have developed a brilliant attacking game, driven largely by the speed and skilful passing of their three-quarters and wingers. A style of play that has caught a lot of their opponents off guard in the last couple of years. 

To win a World Cup, it is absolutely essential to have more than fifteen good players – you need a united group. By all accounts, this is a close-knit team ready to play for each other. 

Trailing in the 78th minute against Australia on 5 November 2022,  the French team dug deep to defeat a very good Wallabies side, showcasing their resilience and winning spirit. 

With Romain N'tamack, Charles Ollivon, Antoine Dupont, Grégory Alldritt, and Damian Penaud – France has quality at all positions and several players that are capable of creating chances when necessary. There is, however, one player that stands tall in the squad. 

If the XV of France is in great shape, it's in large part to its captain and star player: Antoine Dupont. The scrum-half, voted the best player in the world by World Rugby in 2021, continues to impress both internationally and at club level.

The strength of this group is also its stability. Much of the squad has been playing together coming up to two years now and has gelled well in that time. 

There are also combinations that go back further, most notably the hinge Dupont-N'tamack pairing that's been the lifeblood of  Stade Toulousain for the last three years.

As they say, rugby is now a 23-man game. While this sport requires enormous physical effort, the contribution of substitutes, also called finishers, is essential. With a well-stocked bench and talent at all key positions, France is looking impressive on paper. 

Inevitably, France's greatest asset for this event is its home advantage. The tricolours will feel the support of a whole nation as they look to secure their first-ever Rugby World Cup title. 

In 1998, French footballers lifted the World Cup to a rapturous crowd at the Stade de France. It's a moment the French XV will be looking to recreate 25 years later.

Obviously, when we talk about the favourites for the Rugby World Cup, we cannot overlook New Zealand. Still perpetual favourites, the All Blacks experienced a challenging year in 2022.

With defeats against France, Argentina, Ireland and Australia. New Zealand is no longer the best nation in the world. In fact, in a rare moment, there are actually a few sides better placed than them going into this competition. 

The XV of Clover seems to be one of the most consistent teams on the planet. In 2022, Jonathan Sexton's teammates beat all the big teams, except one notable side – France!

South Africa may not be the most sophisticated rugby side but they are, without a doubt, one of the most powerful. The Springboks are still among the toughest nations to beat. Watch out for them in 2023.

Sparkling form, exceptional players, a home World Cup: all the stars seem aligned to make it finally happen for France. But that may be the problem: Les Blues are not used to assuming favourite status. Can they make it happen? It's now or never!