Toulouse flanker Anthony Jelonch pulls out

Fabien Galthié’s France Six Nations 2025 squad is an indication of Les Bleus’ remarkable strength in depth.

Up front, Leinster’s Rabah Slimani comes into the 42-man squad, returning to the France fold for the first time since the 2019 World Cup, while Toulouse’s Joshua Brennan (son of former Ireland international Trevor) is also selected.

However, Brennan’s Toulouse teammate Anthony Jelonch pulled out after the weekend’s European Champions Cup action – as yet the FFR has given no reason for his absence. He’ll be replaced by Romain Taofifénua, who had also withdrawn – it seems Taofifénua’s injury was not as bad as initially feared. Racing 92 second row Mickaël Guillard is another late addition to France’s Six Nations squad.

Scrum-half and captain Antoine Dupont returns to the Six Nations reckoning after taking a break in 2024 to concentrate on the Olympic Rugby Sevens. His half-back partner for club and country, Romain Ntamack is also back having missed most of 2024 with injury.

They’ll be part of an exciting group of backs that includes Thomas Ramos and Damian Penaud (who scored an incredible six tries for Bordeaux-Bègles against the Sharks in the Champions Cup), though Gaël Fickou is injured. Twenty-year-old Noah Nene, currently playing for Dax in France’s second tier, is also in the squad.

“It was not easy to watch the guys on TV [last year] but I had other objectives,” said Dupont at the Six Nations 2025 launch in Rome. “I’m happy to be back in this beautiful tournament. We’ve got a lot of ambition for this tournament, we have the potential to win it and I’m excited about that.”

“There is a lot of pressure for us to win the Six Nations, we can feel it, but it’s good pressure,” added head coach Galthié.

France kick off their campaign against Wales on Friday 31 January. Here’s how to watch the Six Nations 2025 wherever you are.

Read more: Six Nations fixtures 2025

France Six Nations squad 2025

Forwards

Esteban Abadie
Dorian Aldegheri
Grégory Damn it
Win Anthony
Hugo Auradou
Cyril Baille
Giorgi Beria
Paul Boudehent
Joshua Brennan
Georges-Henri Colombe
François Cros
Thibaud Flament
Marko Gazzotti
Jean-Baptiste Gros
Mickaël Guillard
Matthias Halagahu
Oscar Jegou
Maxime Lamothe
Julien Marchand
Peato Mauvaka
Emmanuel New
Dany Priso
Rabah Slimani
Romain Taofifénua

Backs

Théo Attissogbé
Pierre-Louis Barassi
Leo Barre
Louis Bielle-Biarrey
Nicolas Depoortere
Gaël Dréan
Antoine Dupont
Antoine Frisch
Emilien Gailleton
Mattieu Jalibert
Nolann Le Garrec
Maxime Luca
Yoram Moefana
Noah Nene
Romain Ntamack
Damian Penaud
Thomas Ramos
Gabin Villière

France Six Nations squad: Line-ups from every match in 2024

Round 1: v Ireland (Orange Velodrome, Marseille)

Starting XV: Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Gaël Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Yoram Moefana; Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu; Cyril Baille, Peato Mauvaka, Uini Atonio, Paul Gabrillagues, Paul Willemse, François Cros, Charles Ollivon, Grégory Alldritt (captain).

Replacements: Julien Marchand, Reda Wardi, Dorian Aldegheri, Posolo Tuilagi, Cameron Woki, Paul Boudehent, Nolann le Garrec, Louis Bielle-Biarrey

Result: France 17-38 Ireland

Round 2: v Scotland (Murrayfield)

Starting XV: Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Gaël Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu; Cyril Baille, Peato Mauvaka, Uini Atonio, Cameron Woki, Paul Gabrillagues, François Cros, Charles Ollivon, Grégory Alldritt (captain).

Replacements: Julien Marchand, Sébastien Taofifénua, Dorian Aldegheri, Posolo Tuilagi, Alexandre Roumat, Paul Boudehent, Nolann le Garrec, Yoram Moefana

Result: Scotland 16-20 France

Round 3: v Italy (Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille)

Starting XV: Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu; Cyril Baille, Peato Mauvaka, Uini Atonio, Cameron Woki, Posolo Tuilagi, Paul Boudehent, Charles Ollivon, François Cros.

Replacements: Julian Marchand, Sébastien Taofifénua, Dorian Aldegheri, Romain Taofifénua, Alexandre Roumat, Esteban Abadie, Nolann Le Garrec, Yoram Moefana

Result: France 13-13 Italy

Round 4: v Wales (Principality Stadium)

Starting XV: Leo Barré; Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Nicolas Depoortère, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Thomas Ramos, Nolann Le Garrec; Cyril Baille, Julian Marchand, Uini Atonio, Thibaud Flament, Emmanuel Meafou, François Cros, Charles Ollivon, Gregory Alldritt.

Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Sébastien Taofifénua, Georges-Henri Colombe, Romain Taofifénua, Alexandre Roumat, Paul Boudehent, Maxime Lucu, Yoram Moefana

Result: Wales 24-45 France

Round 5: v England (Groupama Stadium, Lyon)

Starting XV: Leo Barré; Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Nicolas Depoortère, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Thomas Ramos, Nolann Le Garrec; Cyril Baille, Julian Marchand, Uini Atonio, Thibaud Flament, Emmanuel Meafou, François Cros, Charles Ollivon, Gregory Alldritt.

Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Sébastien Taofifénua, Georges-Henri Colombe, Romain Taofifénua, Alexandre Roumat, Paul Boudehent, Maxime Lucu, Yoram Moefana

Result: France 33-31 England

France Six Nations squad 2024

Forwards

Esteban Abadie (Toulon)
Dorian Aldegheri (Toulouse)
Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle) (Captain)
Win Anthony (La Rochelle)
Cyril Baille (Toulouse)
Gaëtan Barlot (Castres Olympique)
Paul Boudehent (La Rochelle)
François Cros (Toulouse)
Paul Gabrillagues (Stade Français)
Matthias Halagahu (Toulon)
Anthony Jelonch (Toulouse)
Thomas Laclayat (Racing 92)
Julien Marchand (Toulouse)
Peato Mauvaka (Toulouse)
Emmanuel Meafou (Toulouse)
Charles Ollivon (Toulon)
Romain Taofifenua (Lyon)
Sébastien Taofifenua (Lyon)
Reda Ward (The Rochelle)
Cameron Woki (Racing 92)

Backs

Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Bordeaux-Bègles)
Jonathan Danty (La Rochelle)
Nicolas Depoortère (Bordeaux-Bègles)
Gaël Fickou (Racing 92)
Emilien Gailleton (Section Paloise)
Antoine Gibert (Racing 92)
Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux-Bègles))
Melvyn Jaminet (Toulon)
Nolann Le Garrec (Racing 92)
Matthis Lebel (Toulouse)
Maxime Lucu (Bordeaux-Bègles)
Yoram Moefana (Bordeaux-Bègles)
Damian Penaud (Bordeaux-Bègles)
Thomas Ramos (Toulouse)