Does Lions Hangover Give France A Six Nations Advantage?

England helping Tommy Freeman and Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong some said akin aft being progressive successful past summer's Lions circuit of Australia.

"Without realising it, I deliberation I was tired," Freeman said of his return to nine broadside Northampton.

"My assemblage felt for illustration I was OK to spell and I was saying to coaches 'Yeah I'm fine, I'm fine'. I conscionable deliberation mentally it was a spot much of a struggle."

Three-time Lion Furlong said: "Everything possibly seems insignificant nan twelvemonth after."

France's players whitethorn not person that overmuch sympathy. A run successful their home apical formation – nan Top 14 – tin agelong to 29 matches.

The balanced fig for nan English Prem and nan United Rugby Championship is 20 and 21 matches respectively.

However, dissimilar pinch nan Home Nations, France usually remainder their apical stars for their summertime tours.

While nan Lions were touring Australia, crossed nan Tasman Sea a France broadside took connected New Zealand successful a three-Test bid without nan likes of Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Matthieu Jalibert aliases Charles Ollivon.

Despite objections from their Kiwi hosts, concerned astir nan effect connected summons sales, France stuck to their argumentation arsenic a second-string broadside suffered a 3-0 bid defeat.

Ireland are adept astatine managing their stars' wide workloads. For instance, Leinster and Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan has made only 3 starts for his state truthful acold this season.

But Warburton believes that not each games are equal. In his opinion, nan Test stages demands much of players.

"I deliberation there's thing astir playing world rugby – there's only truthful galore times I deliberation you tin play an world crippled of that magnitude, emotionally, successful a year," he said.

"The Lions circuit evidently eats into that quota and I deliberation it's a monolithic portion of it."

The Six Nations' regular almanac rhythm mightiness besides play a part. In even-numbered years – successful which each post-Lions Six Nations return spot – France person 3 location games, alternatively than two.

Their location matches see meetings pinch Ireland and England, often title rivals.

France bookended their Six Nations run pinch victories against those 2 successful Paris this year, important results successful their title success.