Yoram Moefana, Jonathan Danty and Damian Penaud in Marcoussis. FRANCK FIFE / AFP
To challenge the XV de la Rose on Saturday, Fabien Galthié established the center of La Rochelle, which recently returned to the field. Aldegheri and Cros will also start at Twickenham. Weight returns among the substitutes with Jaminet, Lucu and Mauvaka.
The long-awaited traditional “Crunch”. The XV of France challenges England on Saturday (5:45 p.m.) at Twickenham, where it has not won since 2005 in the Tournament. A shock at the top between two teams still in contention (despite a defeat each) to win this edition, even if Ireland, undefeated before going to Scotland on Sunday (4 p.m.), is the favorite to achieve the Grand Slam.
This Thursday, Fabien Galthié made several changes from the team which had disposed of Scotland (32-21), due to the injuries of some and the suspensions of others. The surprise came from the tenure of Jonathan Danty, in place of Yoram Moefana. The three-quarter center of La Rochelle recently returned to the field, especially last weekend against Pau, after his knee injury at the end of December. He will be associated, once again, with Gaël Fickou, the captain of the tricolor defense. Like last year during the Grand Slam performed by the Blues.
The other surprise concerns the right pillar Dorian Aldegheri (Toulouse), recently recalled to Marcoussis. The last of his 8 international selections dates back to March 2021, during a defeat in the Tournament against … England (23-20) at Twickenham. He was preferred to Sipili Falatea (UBB), who remains a substitute after the suspensions of Uini Atonio and Mohamed Haouas. The Blues will therefore evolve with a 100% Toulouse first line, with left-hander Cyril Baille and hooker Julien Marchant.
Jaminet revived
Among the incumbents, another modification was made with the logical tenure of Toulouse third-line François Cros. He returns to the starting XV after Anthony Jelonch’s serious knee injury against the Scots.
It is on the side of the bench of substitutes, the famous “finishers”, that there is the most movement. The bad news for the Blues came on Wednesday from the ankle injury of opener Matthieu Jalibert (UBB). The latter could even miss the end of the season. Fabien Galthié and his staff have decided, to compensate for this absence, to relaunch the back Melvyn Jaminet (Toulouse), his teammate and club rival, Thomas Ramos, who can slip at the opening during the match. Jaminet’s twelfth and last selection dates back to June 2022 on the occasion of the first test match won against Japan (23-42).
Read alsoXV of France: Jalibert (UBB) absent at least a month
For the big fight that awaits Antoine Dupont and his troop in England, another weighty comeback should be noted: that of hooker Peato Mauvaka (Toulouse). Habitual lining of Julien Marchant in the tailgating, Mauvaka had injured his finger and had been operated on in mid-January.
Finally, the last return to the bench, that of the UBB scrum-half, Maxime Lucu. The usual replacement for Antoine Dupont has been absent due to an injury (ankle) since the start of this Tournament. He regains his place as finisher at the expense of Lyonnais Baptiste Couilloud.
The composition of the XV of France
Ramos – Penaud, Fickou, Danty, Dumortier – (o) Ntamack, (m) Dupont (cap) – Ollivon, Alldritt, Cros – Willemse, Flament – Aldegheri, Marchand, Baille.
Substitutes : Mauvaka, Wardi, Falatea, Taofifenua, Macalou, Lucu, Moefana, Jaminet.
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