Lionel Gougelot with AFP / Photo credit: DAVID ROGERS / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP
modified to
7:28 p.m., September 12, 2023
The third row of the French XV Anthony Jelonch, operated on to rupture the cruciate ligament of the left knee on March 6, won his crazy bet: he will make his return to the field against Uruguay, Thursday in Lille (9:00 p.m.) , for the second match of the Blues in the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The player from Stade Toulouse (27 years old, 25 selections) was even named captain of a team to which coach Fabien Galthié made twelve changes compared to that who beat New Zealand (27-13) on Friday to open the World Cup.
⚡️ in this World Cup!
️ See you in Lille! #FRAvURU#XVdeFrance#UnitedForADream#RWC2023pic.twitter.com/lsiOrd1L2u— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) September 12, 2023
Only three players, Bordeaux-Bègles center Yoram Moefana (23 years old, 19 selections), Toulon winger Gabin Villière (27 years old, 15 selections) and Racing 92 second row Cameron Woki (24 years old, 23 sel.), retain their starting position.
Careful frames
Facing the 17th nation in the world, most of the executives were spared, according to the composition announced Tuesday by Galthié from the Hôtel des Bleus in Marcq-en-Baroeul (North). So rest for captain and scrum half Antoine Dupont, for the essential third line center Grégory Alldritt or for the prolific winger Damian Penaud, and room for a rotation of the squad. In the third row, Jelonch is supervised by the versatile Stade Français flanker Sekou Macalou (27 years old, 19 selections) and by the Rochelais Paul Boudehent (23 years old, 4 selections). In the second row, Woki is associated with Lyonnais Romain Taofifenua (32 years old, 45 selections).
In front, the Toulon pillars Jean-Baptiste Gros (24 years old, 26 sel.) and Toulouse Dorian Aldegheri (30 years old, 12 sel.) accompany the La Rochelle hooker Pierre Bourgarit (26 years old, 10 sel.). At the back, the N.15 jersey was assigned to Toulouse’s Melvyn Jaminet (24 years old, 16 selections), while the young UBB winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey (20 years old, 3 selections) is associated with Gabin Villière on the other wing. Finally, the hinge is made up of La Rochelle fly-half Antoine Hastoy (26 years old, 4 selections) and scrum half Maxime Lucu (30 years old, 16 selections).
The composition of the French XV against New Zealand:
First line
1 – Jean-Baptiste Gros
2 – Pierre Bourgarit
3 – Dorian Aldegheri
Second line
4 – Cameron Woki
5 – Romain Taofifenua
Third line
6 – Paul Boudehent
7 – Anthony Jelonch (cap.)
8 – Sekou Macalou
Scrum half
9 – Maxime Lucu
Flying half
10 – Antoine Hastoy
Three-quarter center
12 – Yoram Moefana
13 – Arthur Vincent
Wingers
11 – Gabin Villière
14 – Louis Bielle-Biarrey
Back
15 – Melvyn Jaminet
Substitutes:
16 – Peato Mauvaka
17 – Reda Wardi
18 – Sipili Falatea
19 – Bastien Chalureau
20 – Thibaud Flament
21 – François Cros
22 – Baptiste Couilloud
23 – Thomas Ramos