Ireland scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park has identified France captain Antoine Dupont as a "serious threat" ahead of their opening match in the Six Nations on Thursday. 

Andy Farrell's side make the trip to Paris hoping to make a winning start to their campaign, as they look to claim a 25th title and their first since their success two years ago.

But they take on a France team who emerged victorious in last year's championship and are looking to go back-to-back for the first time since 2006 and 2007. 

France have won 13 and lost 11 of their 26 games with Ireland in the Six Nations (D2). They are the only team that Ireland don't have a winning record against in the competition. 

Ireland did, however, win their most recent away game against France in the tournament, which was their opening match in 2024.

However, they will have Dupont to contend with.

Scrum-half Dupont ruptured cruciate ligaments in his knee last March during France's last match against Ireland and was sidelined for eight months.

Despite not playing for Les Bleus since, the 29-year-old returned to club rugby for Toulouse in November and is set to play a key role in France's title defence.

"He [Dupont] is not the only one. France have some serious weapons across the whole team," Gibson-Park said. Quite a lot of prep goes into stopping him.

"We all know the threat he poses. We have seen a lot of stuff over the last number of years of him doing stuff that not many others are capable of.

"I have had some pretty good draws with him over the years, particularly at club level, he poses a serious threat for sure."

Le tournoi des Six Nations 𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏 .ᐟ
  semaines de rugby intense et surtout de pur plaisir !

Rendez-vous 𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏 pour notre premier match contre l'Irlande ! On compte sur vous ! pic.twitter.com/nP9lNDUmRG

— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) February 4, 2026

This will be the first match to take place on a Thursday in the men's Five or Six Nations since France hosted Ireland in Colombes in the opening match of the 1948 edition. 

Ireland have also won more Round 1 fixtures than any other team in the Six Nations (W19 D1 L6), just ahead of France and England (both W18 L8).

Six of France's eight opening round defeats have come against the team who went on to win the championship, including the last four in a row (England in 2017, Ireland in 2018, Wales in 2019 and Ireland in 2024). 

But Ireland's preparations have been hampered by injuries. Farrell's major concerns are in his front row, with Jack Boyle, Andrew Porter and Paddy McCarthy all on the sidelines. 

Robbie Henshaw will miss the start of the tournament, while Calvin Nash, Jimmy O'Brien, Ryan Baird, Shayne Bolton, Mack Hansen, Jordan Larmour and Tom Ahern are also out.

Connacht prop Billy Bohan, Munster second-row Edwin Edogbo and Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak are the three uncapped players who were named in the 37-man squad. 

Centre Bundee Aki will miss the opening three games through suspension, with Hugo Keenan's availability also unclear after the full-back fractured his thumb. 

"There are no excuses now," added Gibson-Park. You can't afford to start slowly, especially to France away, and we have prepared well.

"There is no bigger challenge, is there?"