The staff of the XV of France has given its list of 42 players for the fall tests. Eight players with zero selections appear there and of course Antoine Dupont makes his comeback. Marchand will not be able to train for a week, but will undoubtedly return very quickly. Disappointment for Serin, Hastoy and Couilloud.
The list of 42 has therefore delivered its verdictit features eight players with zero selection. Among them, Romain Buros and Maxime Lamothe (UBB), Léo Berdeu (Lyon) and Tevita Tatafu (Bayonne) have been circling the French XV for some time to the point of coming close to it. Their presence is not a surprise.
On the other hand, Pierre Bochaton (UBB), Joshua Brennan (Toulouse), Marko Gazzotti (UBB) or Paul Costes (Toulouse) will honor their first call-up to the enlarged group. Their sparkling start to the championship tipped the scales in their favor.
Return of Villière
We can also consider that the presence of Mickaël Guillard was not a foregone conclusion, even if the Lyonnais was present in Argentina and Uruguay. No more than that of Toulon winger Gabin Villière who has not played in the blue jersey since the first round of the last World Cup.
In the forgotten section, we will pass on the case of Romain Ntamack, injured in a calf in the championship or of Julien Marchand, also injured, but much less seriously. The staff announced that he was “spared” for a week because he was not seriously injured. Cyril Baille is still unavailable after his operation on his left ankle. La Rochelle hooker Pierre Bourgarit is also out due to injury (tibia-fibula fracture).
Sans Woki, nor Macalou
Other absences are similar to assumed choices by coaches: Antoine Hastoy will not be able to aim for the jersey numbered 10. In the scrum, Baptiste Serin, captain of the last tour, suffers from the return of Antoine Dupont and the advent of Nolann Le Garrec. Same fate for Baptise Couilloud, despite his collection of tries in the championship.
We cannot fail to notice the absence of Cameron Woki, nor that of Sekou Macalou. The disappointing results of Parisian clubs undoubtedly have something to do with it. Esteban Abadie, although promising, pays for the emergence of competitors more versatile than him. Dorian Aldegheri seems to have been overtaken by the weight of his years.
We could cite other names, forgotten for a longer time: Laclayat, Cretin, Dumortier. Conversely, we heard a lot about the possible arrival of the neo-Bordeaux Temo Matiu, the young 23-year-old third row from Pro D2. In the end, the surprise will not take place, the staff probably still considered him a little tender.
We almost forgot to mention a certain Antoine Dupont, who has not graced the national jersey with fifteen since the World Cup. But we know why. His return is therefore a non-event of great importance.
France
