Auradou and Jegou in training, Toulouse and Bordeaux residents exempt

In Marcoussis

A first with half the workforce. In the bitter cold of Marcoussis (Essonne), the XV of France carried out their first collective training this Tuesday at the end of the afternoon to prepare for the next Six Nations Tournament, which the Blues will begin on Friday January 31, the country of Wales at the Stade de France.

Two notable absentees at the CNR, the coach, Fabien Galthié, and his captain, Antoine Dupont, retained in Rome for the official launch of the competition. They will join the group this Tuesday evening. And a host of players bundled up in the stands to watch their teammates engage in an intense session in opposition to the members of the French under-20 team.

On deck in the Champions Cup on Sunday, Toulouse, Bordelais and Toulonnais were in fact resting this Tuesday. Or the trifle of… 25 Blues! A forum in which Louis-Bielle-Biarrey did not appear. The supersonic winger, victim of dizziness and last-minute withdrawal from UBB on Sunday, suffers from inner ear problems. He had a reassuring MRI on Monday and will join the group in Marcoussis this Wednesday.

On the field, however, two very notable presences, those of Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, back with the XV of France for the first time since the accusations of rape against them, at the beginning of July during the tour in Argentina and who, at the beginning of December, benefited from a dismissal of the case by the Argentine justice system.

Finally, good news for the staff, the second rows Romain Taofifenua (Racing 92) and Mickael Guillard (LOU), uncertain weather (knee shock on Saturday for the first; recent recovery for the second, victim of a late sprain November), were very present in the rotation.

Impossible, obviously, with all these absences to collect the slightest clue about the future composition of the XV of France against the Welsh. For that, we will have to wait until this Wednesday and the first full session.