Easterby breaks silence on Galthie's comments

SPOTLIGHT: Ireland interim boss Simon Easterby said comments alleging foul play against his side by France coach Fabien Galthie following an injury to star scrumhalf Antoine Dupont were “disappointing” and had created unnecessary “ill-feeling”.

France captain Dupont ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament early in the 42-27 win over defending champions Ireland in Dublin last weekend that put the visitors on course to secure the Six Nations title this Saturday.

Dupont is set to be sidelined for several months following an injury suffered at a ruck, with Galthie branding the incident “reprehensible” as he pointed the finger at Ireland duo Andrew Porter and Tadhg Beirne.

No action was taken against the two forwards, with lock Beirne and loosehead prop Porter both selected Thursday by Easterby in the starting Ireland side to play Italy in Rome this weekend.

Easterby, asked about Galthie’s comments, said: “No player goes out to intentionally injure another player.

“For the majority of people, looking at it afterwards, everyone felt like it was a rugby incident, which was really unfortunate.

“No player goes out to injure another player. It just doesn’t happen.

“Whatever the insinuations were from different people, post-game, it’s disappointing because the unfortunate thing is that people who don’t really understand the game pick up on it, and it creates a bit of a problem where people are getting abuse.”

The former Ireland flanker added: “It’s just unnecessary, and it’s not acceptable, but it happens.

“Those things could have been avoided had maybe other things been said post-game by certain individuals.”

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Easterby, asked whom he meant, replied: “Well, you just said his name. The French camp has obviously come out pretty strongly post-game about the incident and it could have been handled in a better way.

“And I think on the back of that, it’s created some unnecessary ill-feeling, it’s affected other people in the wider group, and that’s disappointing.”

Porter insisted Wednesday he had “no malicious intent” towards Dupont as he dismissed Galthie’s comments.

“No, I wasn’t disappointed [with being cited],” said Porter. “I knew what I did – I didn’t go out to try and injure anyone.

“That’s not the type of player I am. If he [Galthie] wants to think that, that’s up to him.

“I even sent Antoine a message on Instagram just to see how he was, and obviously you never want to see anyone going off the pitch like that.”

France’s victory over Ireland left them in pole position to take the Six Nations title, with Galthie’s men a point clear of second-placed England heading into their tournament climax against Scotland in Paris on Saturday.