Fabien Galthié's first list gives pride of place to Toulouse forwards and Bordeaux backs.
Fabien Galthié and his staff revealed this Wednesday the group of 42 players selected to prepare for the Six Nations Tournament, which will begin on Friday January 31 (9:15 p.m.), at the Stade de France, against Wales. And, as usual, Stade Toulousain, reigning French and European champion, is the most represented club with 13 players, but above all 9 forwards, no club does better. Concerning the three-quarters, it is the UBB which places the most players (6 plus 2 forwards).
Note the return to the forefront of RC Toulon, the third club which provides the most internationals (7). Which corresponds to the return to the forefront of the Var club. La Rochelle, which was the second team supplying internationals during the 2023 World Cup (7 behind Toulouse, 10), is now only the fourth club in this ranking (5). Also falling from Racing 92 of which only two players were retained. Among the clubs in form currently in the Top 14, Clermont (4th) has no player to select.
Rabah Slimani returns to Marcoussis as he now plays abroad, in the prestigious province of Leinster. Last March, Antoine Frisch was summoned to Marcoussis to prepare for the Tournament match against England while he was playing for the other Irish province, Leinster. Before that, Louis Picamoles continued his international career (82 caps), when he wore the colors of Northampton in England during the 2016-2017 season.
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Pro D2 is also in the spotlight with the call-up of Dacquois Noah Nene. But this is nothing new for Fabien Galthié. During the 2022 tour in Japan, four were called up: two players from Bayonne, Pro D2 champions that year, Rémy Baget and Matis Perchaud, as well as Enzo Reybier and Thomas Laclayat from Oyonnax, second in the regular phase. But they did not come into play against the Brave Blossoms.
In the summer of 2021, Melvyn Jaminet – author of a full season with Perpignan, who had been crowned Pro D2 champion – was the surprise guest of the tour in Australia. And the French coach did not hesitate to go to the lower level, the third division. While he was playing with Bourg-en-Bresse, in the Nationale (3rd division), Pierre Bochaton, 19 years old at the time, was called as a training partner before a Tournament match against Wales. He was recruited by UBB the following offseason. Recalled a few times to Marcoussis subsequently, he has not yet honored his first international cap.
Distribution of players by club:
Toulouse (13) : 9 forwards, 4 rears
Bordeaux-Bègles (8): 2 fronts, 6 rears
Toulon (7) : 4 forwards, 3 rears
La Rochelle (5): 5 forwards
Pau (3) : 1 front, 2 rear
Racing 92 (2) : 1 front, 1 rear
French Stadium (1): 1 rear
Perpignan (1): 1 avant
Dax (1) : 1 rear
Leinster (1) : 1 avant
The composition of the France group:
FRONT (24)
Pillars (8): Dorian Aldegheri, Uini Atonio, Cyril Baille, Giorgi Beria, Georges-Henri Colombe, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Rabah Slimani, Dany Priso.
Hookers (3): Maxime Lamothe, Julien Marchand, Peato Mauvaka.
Second lines (6): Hugo Auradou, Joshua Brennan, Thibaud Flament, Matthias Halagahu, Emmanuel Meafou, Romain Taofifenua.
Third lines (7): Esteban Abadie, Grégory Alldritt, Paul Boudehent, François Cros, Marko Gazzotti, Oscar Jegou, Anthony Jelonch.
BACKS (18)
Scrum halves (3): Antoine Dupont, Nolann Le Garrec, Maxime Lucu.
Flying halves (2): Matthieu Jalibert, Romain Ntamack.
Wingers (5): Théo Attissogbe, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Gaël Dréan, Damian Penaud, Gabin Villière.
Centres (6) : Pierre-Louis Barassi, Nicolas Depoortère, Antoine Frisch, Emilien Gailleton, Yoram Moefana, Noah Nene.
Backs (2): Léo Barré, Thomas Ramos
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