WHAT IT'S LIKE TO...PLAY GAMES IN A TEMPORARY HOME

France aren't the first Six Nations team to forgo their usual home comforts

THE PARIS Olympics is having a major influence on this year’s Men’s Six Nations in taking Antoine Dupont out of the championship. But apart from the French captain’s sevens sabbatical, there is another significant side-effect on the team from the five-ringed fun to come this summer – no Stade de France.

With their usual home stadium being readied to host the Games, France find themselves on a Six Nations-style Tour de France. Stage number one, to the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille, ended in an almighty crash as les Bleus produced one of their worst performances under Fabien Galthié in being humbled by Ireland. Could the Mediterranean air have been a factor?

Taking championship games on the road is a rarity for a reason. Unions and federations don’t care to endanger the cash cow that is a home fixture but nor do they like to mess with the familiarity of the feng shui.

When rickety old Lansdowne Road was being turned into the gleaming Aviva Stadium, Ireland spent four Six Nations seasons at Croke Park.

Their tenancy started badly too, with a home defeat to France in 2007.

But then England came visiting. “Epic,” was how Geordan Murphy recalls the atmosphere at the Gaelic Games citadel that day. England never stood a chance. They were pulverised 43-13. It was an occasion, dripping in symbolism, which none of the 83,000 present will ever forget.