Chelsea fan favourite recruited by France to help prepare ahead of Italy clash

France are set to face Italy in the Under-20s Six Nations this Saturday evening in the knowledge that a win would put them in a fine position to lift the trophy come March.

Representing your country at any level is a moment that will never be forgotten by any player, and the French coach Cedric Laborde wanted to hammer this point home.

In order to do this, he brought in a special guest to hand out the 23 jerseys to the matchday squad.

This honour was given to Chelsea fan favourite Oliver Giroud, with the match set to take place in Lille, so he took the opportunity to travel across the city from the club he currently represents to help them prepare for the Italian challenge.

The LOSC striker’s visit, the record holder for goals in the French national team (57), was shared on the social media page of the French rugby team.

Giroud is an avid rugby fan and leapt at the chance to send a few personal messages to the players.

The striker has had an incredible career for both his country and at club level, as he has won a World Cup for France, and then he was a favourite across the MLS, Premier League and Ligue 1.

English fans will remember the iconic goals he scored for both Arsenal and Chelsea, while those who watched him in France will remember the impact he had at Montpellier as they won Ligue 1 and now at Lille.

The French management will hope this has the desired effect, as they are the only country that can win the Grand Slam in the U-20s this year, and if they can secure a victory against Italy, it may help inspire the senior team the next day when they face off against the same opponent in the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy.