Hard blow for the XV of France: Thibaud Flament, one of the second line executives, will not be on the pitch at the Stade de France on January 31 to face Wales. Hit in the calf, the Toulouse player was forced to withdraw, leaving Fabien Galthié and his staff to cope without him for the first match of the 6 Nations Tournament.
An absence of size in the tricolor cage
Everything seemed normal during Wednesday's training in Marcoussis. Thibaud Flament participated in collective exercises with his teammates. But at the end of the session, the second row felt pain in his calf. Diagnosis: detachment of the aponeurosis. Result, an absence estimated at two or three weeks which will deprive him of at least the first two meetingsagainst Wales and England.
This injury is a hard blow for the Blues. Flament, 27, has become an essential part of the tricolor pack with its mobility, its technique and its impact in the phases of conquest. Especially since the second line is not the most well-stocked position in the France group…
Limited options
With Flament out, the second line of the Blues must reorganize. Emmanuel Meafou, although spared after a slight shoulder contusion, seemed to hold the rope to start. He could be associated with Hugo Auradou or Joshua Brennan, two young players who convinced the staff during the last sessions.
-Romain Taofifenua, who was announced to be out of action at the start of the week, was finally released to play with Racing 92 this weekend. Mickaël Guillard, back after a long absence, also remains on the list of 23 players kept at Marcoussis. They represent two “safer” options based on their experience, but a big uncertainty remains as to their state of fitness.
The 23 to face the Welsh
This Wednesday, the staff revealed the list of players selected to prepare for the first match of the Tournament:
- Before : Alldritt, Atonio, Auradou, Baille, Boudehent, Brennan, Colombe, Cros, Gros, Guillard, Jegou, Marchand, Mauvaka, Meafou.
- Rears : Bielle-Biarrey, Barassi, Dupont, Gailleton, Le Garrec, Moefana, Ntamack, Penaud, Ramos.
A challenge to start the Tournament
For Fabien Galthié and his staff, this first obstacle illustrates the importance of squad depth. If the absence of Flament is a hard blow, the young elements integrated this week offer great guarantees. For us, Mickaël Guillard represents the best option to replace the Toulouse player. Used off the bench during the fall tour, he never disappointed and proved that he deserved his place in the French XV. The key is to know if he is physically capable of playing an international match.
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