Galthié is known for carefully weighing his words before speaking, often taking his time to articulate his thoughts. Sometimes his messages are clear, other times less so, as seen in the second season of the Netflix series Six Nations: Full Contact..
However, when asked what the Championship represents to him, his response is immediate: "Rugby, quite simply." As a player, with 64 caps as a scrum-half between 1991 and 2003, he participated in nine editions, both in the Five Nations (five times) and Six Nations (four times). As a coach, the 2025 edition will be his sixth, and he still finds it endlessly fascinating. Over the years, his experiences as a player have influenced his coaching approach.
"My playing experience has nourished my thinking and shaped me, first as a player, then as a coach and selector," he explains to us. "A former scrum-half, for example, doesn't see the game the same way as a former prop. The scrum-half is at the heart of the game, feeling the energies, the rhythm, directly connected with the ball and those playing it. There's a particular sensitivity that comes from that, different from that of a front-row player or a back.
"When I transitioned to coaching, I immediately sought to implement my knowledge as a player, my feel for the game. I built my vision from my on-field experience."
He had to keep up with rule changes, adapt to the toughness of teams, the renewal of squads and tactics, always striving to gain the upper hand. "The field, the ball, the dimensions remain the same. But in terms of form, content, preparation, and execution, there are notable differences," he observes. "For example, new rules are designed to create space, speed up the game, and improve safety. These three elements—space, speed, safety—are the guiding threads in the evolution of rugby."
Holding the keys
Listening to him, it's clear that what has always motivated him is being in charge. Being in charge means having the freedom to make choices, to try, to dare, to fail and rise again, but always to progress. This is one of the lessons from his playing days.
"I was part of that 'waltz of the French halves,' where the numbers 9 and 10 were often singled out after a defeat and held responsible for the result. In my time, it was very difficult to establish oneself in these positions because the pressure was constant, and the slightest misstep could cost you your place," he recalls.
"When I took on the captaincy [in 2001, following Fabien Pelous], I felt how much easier everything was when you have real trust. We were often told, 'We're giving you the keys to the truck,' but in reality, they could be taken away as early as the next match. You had to prove yourself constantly, without real continuity!"
Thus, for this first match of the 2025 Guinness Men's Six Nations against Wales, he doesn't hide his satisfaction in "handing the keys to the truck" to his preferred half-back pairing, Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack, who haven't played together since that fateful warm-up match in August 2023 against Scotland, during which Ntamack was injured.
"Today, we're trying to build something more solid, to provide a trust that rests on real and lasting foundations," he says. "Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack, for example, must feel this ease and freedom in their game. The same goes for players like Nolann Le Garrec, Thomas Ramos, or Maxime Lucu, who regularly work in the 9 and 10 positions to be ready to meet the team's needs.
"We know that the unexpected is part of rugby and that we must be prepared to adapt at any moment."
France v Wales kicks off on Friday 31st January, 20:15 GMT.
