XV of France – Antoine Dupont there, Thibaud Flament itou: the probable line-up of the Blues for New Zealand

It is an understatement to say that Wednesday's training was awaited by observers. As a reminder, the previous day's session was thus carried out without Antoine Dupont or Thibaud Flament, respectively suffering and injured in the iliac crest. To these uncertainties were even recently added the packages of François Cros, Damian Penaud and Uini Atonio. So, what's new? The news from Marcoussis is pretty good, damn it. The captain of the XV of France was therefore present, responding perfectly to the contacts and the intensity imposed by Fabien Galthié and his deputies on this session. Barring an accident, Antoine Dupont will therefore lead the French selection at the Stade de France on Saturday evening, against New Zealand. To support him, he will be able to count on the return to competition of Nolann Le Garrec, slightly injured in the knee ten days ago and absent from the first match against Japan. Maxime Lucu, like his club teammate Matthieu Jalibert, will therefore return to Gironde this evening.

Also read:
XV of France – Maxime Lamothe and Giorgi Beria called to the France group

Flament is also available

Thibaud Flament, you say? The second row of Stade Toulouse, essential in the French team for several seasons already, has run normally and will therefore take his place in Saint-Denis, alongside his club teammate Manny Meafou. Uini Atonio still being hampered around the edges by his calf, it was Bayonne's Tevita Tatafu who once again trained with the holders' bib. Regarding this one, who will start his second consecutive match with the XV of France, William Servat, the coach of the French forwards, said Tuesday at a press conference: “He gave a very good performance against the Japanese. It's never easy to start in the national team and Tevita responded. Like Manny Meafou, Tevita chose to represent France rather than another country and I have a lot of admiration for that. Everything is not yet perfect at Tevita but he is only 22 years old and will move up in terms of engagement, in the scrum. » Compared to the first match against Japan, the starting 15 of the French selection should therefore present four new faces: Romain Buros, Gabin Villière, Paul Boudehent and Gaël Fickou, who respectively take the places of Léo Barré, Théo Attissogbe, François Cros and Emilien Gailleton. The staff should finally favor a six-forward bench, a recipe that has worked many times in the past.

As a reminder, the kick-off for this second match of the Blues' autumn tour will be given at 9:10 p.m. and will be followed on TF1.