This Wednesday’s training in Marcoussis confirmed the main trends for the team composition which will face New Zealand on Saturday (9:10 p.m.). The UBB opener should not be retained.
In Marcoussis
Three days before the clash against New Zealand, the XV of France found two of its executives. Slightly ill at the start of the week, the captain of the Blues, Antoine Dupont, was back in training this Wednesday in Marcoussis, during the session open to the public, who came in droves. Second-row Thibaud Flament was injured in the iliac crest last Saturday against Japan and, after being spared, he also returned to the CNR pitch with his teammates.
For the rest, we already knew that winger Damian Penaud (illness), flanker François Cros (concussion) and mainstay Uini Atonio (calf) are already out of the second of three test matches. autumn. From then on, the question was who will replace these three players. In the game of potential starters observed on Tuesday then confirmed on Wednesday, Gabin Villière should start on a wing to replace Théo Attissogbe (knee sprain), Paul Boudehent, author of a double against the Brave Blossoms, should be aligned in the third line and Tevita Tatafu, who had honored his first international cap against the Japanese, should continue on the right of the French scrum.
The premiere of Romain Buros?
Accustomed to playing continuity from one match to the next, Fabien Galthié should make two other changes this time in his three-quarter line. With the return to the center of the experienced Gäel Fickou, replacing last Saturday but preferred to Émilien Gailleton for Saturday. Another highly symbolic change: the arrival of the UBB fullback, Romain Buros, who should honor his first international selection against the vice-world champions, in place of Parisian Léo Barré who remained on five consecutive starts in French team, but which was disappointing last Saturday.
Matthieu Jalibert the big loser?
The big loser this week should be Matthieu Jalibert who, a priori, would not even be on the substitutes’ bench and should be released this Wednesday evening. The UBB opener came on as a “finisher” in the first match against Japan. Fabien Galthié and his staff should choose a 6-2 bench to challenge the All Blacks. With only two backs: scrum half Nolann Le Garrec, preferred to Maxime Lucu, and Emilien Gailleton, starting last Saturday, as a versatile back.
The French XV will aim, Saturday (9:10 p.m.) at the Stade de France, for a third success in a row against the All Blacks, after that of November 2021 (40-25) and the latest to date at the opening of the last 2023 World Cup (27-13). A new success would be historic since the Blues have only once had such a series against the New Zealanders with two victories during the 1994 tour to the other side of the world (8-22 and 20-23) then a another, in the process, in Toulouse in 1995 (22-15).
The probable XV against New Zealand:
Buros – Villière, Fickou, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey – (o) Ramos, (m) Dupont (cap) – Roumat, Alldritt, Boudehent – Meafou, Flament – Tatafu, Mauvaka, Gros
Substitutes: Marchand, Wardi, Colombe, R. Taofifenua, Guillard, Ollivon, Le Garrec, Gailleton.
