François Cros, last year against Ireland. Panoramic
To challenge the XV of Clover, the players who faced Italy continue on Saturday in Dublin. Only change, the presence on the bench of the Toulouse flanker.
A final before the hour. The XV of France challenges Ireland on Saturday (3.15 p.m.), at the Aviva Stadium, for a clash at the top between the two favorite teams of this edition of the Six Nations Tournament. Despite the more than sluggish start against Italy last Sunday, Fabien Galthié decided to renew the same team against the Irish. The tricolor staff has therefore chosen to rely on fourteen of the players who won the Grand Slam last year, with the new kid Ethan Dumortier (22 years old, 1 cap), who made his international debut on the wing facing the Nazionale.
The only notable changes concern the bench of substitutes. The third row François Cros (Toulouse) finds a substitute place. He suffered a knee injury last June. Back on the pitch in September, the Toulouse flanker – who had participated in the last Grand Slam – had suffered a relapse forcing him to have surgery. He numerically replaces the second-line Thomas Lavault (La Rochelle).
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Couilloud Dupont lining
The other change concerns the position of scrum half: Baptiste Couilloud (Lyon) will be the understudy of captain Antoine Dupont at Aviva Stadium, in the absence of Maxime Lucu (UBB), injured in the ankle. He takes the place of the young Racingman Nolann Le Garrec, who did not come into play against the Transalpins and will therefore still have to wait to honor his first cap. Couilloud had been absent for a few weeks at the start of the year, the time to treat a cervical hernia.
Among the holders, Thomas Ramos continues at the back at the expense of Melvyn Jaminet. A slight uncertainty concerned the third line Anthony Jelonch, who had trained separately on Wednesday, without contact. But the Stade Toulousain flanker will hold his place well, ultimately, against the Irish. For a fight that promises to be fierce.
The composition of the XV of France:
Ramos – Penaud, Fickou, Moefana, Dumortier – (o) Ntamack, (m) Dupont (cap.) – Ollivon, Alldritt, Jelonch – Willemse, Flament – Atonio, Marchand, Baille
Replacements: Barlot, Wardi, Falatea, Taofifenua, Cros, Macalou, Couilloud, Jalibert
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