Experienced center Gaël Fickou will be a substitute for the match against Japan on Saturday, a first for him since 2019 and under the mandate of Fabien Galthié, the coach announced on Thursday in Marcoussis.
Without the 30-year-old player, the most capped active player with 90 caps, the center of the French XV will be occupied by Bordelais Yoram Moefana and Palois Emilien Gailleton at the start of the first of three test matches in November.
Fickou had started in his last 48 appearances with the blue jersey since February 1, 2019. A sign of his importance, he played all the matches in the last three Tournaments.
And this season, the Racing 92 player played almost all of the eight Top 14 matches in which he took part before the international period, one of the few in this case within the group.
“Being in the 23 is not a downgrade”assured Fabien Galthié at a press conference, while also ensuring “that there is no comfort zone in the French team”.
The coach of the XV of France did not make any surprises compared to the trend of the last training sessions. Yoram Moefana's suspension after his red card in the championship was light enough to allow him to return to the field in Japan.
The benching of the boss of the blue defense for years extends the renewal of the squad to three years from the next World Cup, after the changes already made in the middle of the 2024 Tournament. One of the main friends in the center of Gaël Fickou since the start of the Galthié era, Jonathan Danty has not been part of the list of 42 players selected to prepare for the match.
“I would rather talk about continuity and emulation” preferred Fabien Galthié. “This first team composition is the one that seems to us to be in the best shape at the moment. »
The new center pair is young, with 21 years and 3 selections for Emilien Gailleton and 24 years and 28 selections for Yoram Moefana.
Léo Barré, 22 years old, at the back or Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 21 years old, on the wing are other symbols of the new generation.
Another strong choice, the first captain of the Galthié era, Charles Ollivon, was not selected for the match, which will be played by Toulouse's Alexandre Roumat (27 years old, 4 caps), while in the scrum Tevita Tatafu, 22 years old, will experience his first selection, taking advantage of the injury of Uini Atonio.
Ramos rather than Jalibert
The French XV will be able to count on the return of its captain Antoine Dupont, after a year of absence since the World Cup, to allow him to try the adventure of rugby sevens, from where he returns with gold. Olympic around the neck.
The scrum half will be accompanied at the hinge by Thomas Ramos, as expected since the first training sessions. Ramos, who plays successfully as a full-back for his club Stade Toulouse, finished the last Six Nations Tournament as a fly-half, to remedy the long-term injuries of Romain Ntamack and then Matthieu Jalibert.
The coach of the XV of France Fabien Galthié during training of the XV of France in Marcoussis, November 6, 2024. / Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP
Jalibert was injured during the third match of the Tournament against Italy after two complicated matches, like the entire French team. His good start to the season at Union Bordeaux-Bègles was not enough to convince the coach to give him back his starting place in the absence of Romain Ntamack, injured in the calf.
“The level of this hinge is essential” said Fabien Galthié.
The rest of the composition has more continuity, with in particular Mauvaka and Gros to accompany Tatafu on the first line, the Toulouse second line pair Flament-Meafou, Alldritt and Cros on the third line with Roumat as well as Damian Penaud on the wing.
After Japan on Saturday, the Blues will face New Zealand and Argentina, each time at the Stade de France.
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