XV of France – Alexandre Roumat still candidate, the Louis Bielle-Biarrey tile

It has become a – bad – tradition: that of listing, after the announcement of a group of 42 for the gathering of the XV of France, one or more packages the following weekend… We thus imagine that the staff of the Blues prayed on Saturday when he saw Uini Atonio starting with Stade Rochelais, his right knee then his ankle bandaged. However, the colossus held on for 50 minutes, and was reassured about his state of health. Quite the opposite, unfortunately, of the second row of Racing 92 Romain Taofifenua, victim of a major shock to his knee and replaced by Guillard, while the latter has not returned to competition with Lou since his sprained ankle.

However, beyond this overall “calm” Saturday day, Fabien Galthié and his deputies knew well that the biggest of their fears would be confined to Sunday, the matches of Toulouse, UBB and Toulon potentially involving no less than 27 players selected from the 42…

Guillard and Tixer will be recalled

It was thus with the loss of Louis Bielle-Biarrey, victim of dizziness after a problem with his inner ear, that the dreaded day began. If the exact duration of the unavailability of the star UBB winger is still unknown, the decision was however made to replace him on Sunday evening with ASM flanker Killian Tixeront, given the shortage of forwards at the start of the training period (due to the three Sunday matches). What to consider LBB forfeit against Wales? Not yet…

Indeed, for what remains only a first stage, the composition for the opening match is still far from being decided. As proof, Alexandre Roumat, not called up to the group of 42 due to a calf muscle problem, is doing much better. According to our information, he would even be able to participate next Saturday at the Montpellier reception… And therefore to rejoin the 42 the following week, and more if affinities… Indeed, if Roumat has earned his starting stripes at the fall, it is above all in the name of his qualities as sideline captain, a profile made all the more rare by the serious injury of Charles Ollivon. In fact, since it seems today very premature to consider starting Hugo Auradou (the only other player available in this profile) in the second line in place of Thibaud Flament, it is difficult to see how the Blues could do without Roumat in the starting XV. Cros appears to be a certain starter, third place could ultimately be between Alldritt and Boudehent, the first named appearing better placed given his seniority in the group and his renewed form.