Fabien Galthié has announced the 23-man squad for the French national team as they prepare to face the reigning world champions, South Africa, at the Stade de France on Friday evening.
In a tactical change, Antoine Dupont will take on the role of fly-half, stepping in for the injured Romain Ntamack. This will be Dupont’s first international appearance in the number 10 shirt. Galthié described this decision as the best option for the team, despite Maxime Lucu having finished last week’s match in that position.
Grégory Alldritt returns to the starting lineup after being absent from the last tournament, while Julien Marchand makes his comeback from injury, taking over the hooker position from Maxime Lamothe. Marchand’s return is expected to strengthen the squad, particularly in the set pieces.
The French team aims to overcome the formidable Springboks, a team known for its historical success and resilience in international rugby. Galthié’s selection reflects strategic choices and the need to adapt to player injuries, as the team looks to build on their recent victory over Fiji.
The starting XV for France includes:
- 15. Théo Attissogbe
- 14. Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang
- 13. Gourgues
- 12. Moefana
- 11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey
- 10. Antoine Dupont (captain)
- 9. Maxime Lucu
- 7. Woki
- 8. Grégory Alldritt
- 6. Cros
- 5. Guillard
- 4. Verhaeghe
- 3. Falatea
- 2. Julien Marchand
- 1. Gros
On the bench, Peato Mauvaka, Neti, Montagne, Ollivon, Staniforth, Capilla, Desperes, and Gailleton will provide additional options. The match is set to kick off at 21:00 local time, and fans are eagerly anticipating whether the French side can achieve a historic win against the Springboks.
Bruno Lancelle, born in 1986 in La Seyne-sur-Mer (Var), is a physiotherapist and a former rugby union fly-half who played for Toulon, Lyon, Provence Rugby, La Seyne-sur-Mer, US Bressane, Lille and Hyères. He is the editor-in-chief of Rugby Transfers and of its French edition, Rugby Transferts.
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