Shaun Edwards praises strength of hat-trick hero Gabin Villière

Shaun Edwards believes Gabin Villière is pound for pound one of the strongest players he’s coached after the winger scored a hat-trick in France’s 37-10 win against Italy.

The Azzurri got off to a flying start when 19-year-old Benetton winger Tommaso Menoncello crossed for a debut try but Anthony Jelonch responded for Les Bleus before Villière went over twice to put the hosts back in control.

After the break, Damian Penaud also crossed to secure the bonus point and Villière completed his first Guinness Six Nations hat-trick.

Edwards said: “Gabin Villière certainly is a livewire mate, and if you look at the size of him compared to other players, you’d think he’s quite weak but he’s absolutely one of the strongest men I’ve ever come across.

“Pound for pound, he’s just incredible.

“We had a really interrupted preparation for the match, the first week with Covid-19 and this week with the terrible wind in the centre of France, so it was very difficult to train properly.

“I think we played our way to a bit of form during the game, and in the second half, I think we dominated and were ok.”

The victory leaves France top of the 2022 Guinness Six Nations table after the first game on points difference.

Andy Farrell’s high-flying Ireland travel to Paris in Round 2, with both teams looking to prove their Grand Slam credentials.

And Edwards described the clash between his side and fellow Wigan-born Farrell’s Ireland as a massive game.

He added: “We didn’t concede a point after the second half, which is obviously good, and I think we got our forwards in the game.

“Our mauling was pretty good, I thought, and it’s all building up for what is a really massive game next week against probably the form team in world rugby at the moment in Ireland.

“They are the form team in the world at the moment, and you’ve got two Wiganers meeting up in Paris, and I’m sure we’ll have a brief chat after.”