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France veterans Jonathan Danty and Romain Taofifenua are both set to be available for the opening round of the Six Nations against Ireland in Marseille, providing a major boost to coach Fabien Galthie.
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Both were shown red cards in round ten of the Top 14, the final round before Christmas, and have subsequently been handed bans, it is being reported in France.
La Rochelle centre Danty was dismissed early in the second-half of his side’s loss to Stade Francais for a stamp, and will serve a two week ban (one of which has already been served). The day before, Lyon lock Taofifenua, who announced a international retirement U-turn last month, had been sent off for a dangerous tackle in a heavy 46-10 loss to Bordeaux-Begles. He will serve a three week ban, meaning both with be available for the start of the Six Nations, which gets underway for Les Bleus on February 2 against the champions.
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The bans are not good news for English club sides, as Danty will be available for La Rochelle’s next two Investec Champions Cup matches with this week’s Top 14 clash against Pau being the last week of his ban. He will return for a home clash against Leicester Tigers and a trip to Sale Sharks a week later as Ronan O’Gara’s side seek to get their title defence back on track after losing their opening two rounds against Leinster and the Stormers.
Taofifenua will miss round three of the Champions Cup against Connacht, as well as this weekend’s Top 14 clash against Toulouse, but will return for the round four trip to London to take on Saracens at the StoneX Stadium.
Danty and Taofifenua have been integral parts of Galthie’s French team over the past four years, and both featured in their agonising World Cup 29-28 quarter-final loss to South Africa in October, with Danty starting at inside centre and Taofifenua coming on from the bench.
2 weeks for deliberate stamping! You’ve got to love French Rugby. The rest of the world is desperately trying to clean up its act and France is still stuck in the 1980s!