Fabien Galthié selected 42 players on Tuesday, including eight who have zero selections, to prepare for the Six Nations Tournament, which will begin on February 5 with a trip to Italy.
End of suspense. Via a simple press release without any justification, Fabien Galthié, the coach of the XV of France, unveiled this Tuesday the group of 42 players selected to prepare for the next Six Nations Tournament. If the staff of the Blues had to deal with certain absences due to injury, several newcomers have been called to Marcoussis, other veterans are returning.
If most of the executives of the France group are present (Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack, Gregory Alldritt notably…), Gabin Villiere (Toulon) was not called. The winger with the red helmet is currently in the recovery phase, after experiencing several physical glitches which have so far ruined his season (fractures of the left hand and fibula).
Another expected return, that of Francois Cros (Toulouse). The Rouge et Noir flanker was seriously injured in the knee last June and suffered a relapse in September. The competition promises to be fierce with Charles Ollivon (Toulon), back in the foreground in November, and Anthony Jelonchvaluable in combat.
The surprise of this list came from the third-row Paul Boudehent (La Rochelle). At the same post, note the return of Yacouba Camara (Montpellier), crowned French champion last summer. The right pillar mohamed haouas (Montpellier) is back in the group, after being absent in the fall.
Delbouis rewarded
Slightly injured recently, the other right pillar Uini Atonio (La Rochelle, sprained knee) can quickly return to competition, believes the staff who retained him. On the other hand, scrum half Maxime Lucu (UBB, sprained ankle) was not called up. According to Canal +, he will be absent four to five weeks. Baptiste Couilloud (Lyon), who recently suffered a whiplash, is not sufficiently recovered. The staff trusted the youth with Leo Coly (Montpellier) and Nolann LeGarrec (Racing 92).
For this Six Nations Tournament, the tricolor staff called on several other neophytes. Thereby, Julien Delbouis (Stade Français Paris), particularly prominent this season with the second in the Top 14, has been called up. Called up last November but not yet capped, the winger Ethan Dumortier (Lyon) and the center Emilien Gailleton (Pau) will return to Marcoussis. Other fit man from this exercise start, full-back or winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Bordeaux-Bègles) was summoned, at only 19 years old.
Baubigny and Barlot summoned to heel
Faced with a massacre at the hooker position, with the unavailability of Peato Mauvaka (Toulouse, finger) and Pierre Bourgarit (La Rochelle, knee), Fabien Galthié and his assistants called on Gaetan Barlot (Castres) and Teddy Baubigny (Toulon) to be the number 1 understudy of the position, Julien Marchand. On the other hand, Maxime Lamothe (Bordeaux-Bègles), approached to join the group, was ultimately not selected. Already called without having been aligned, his teammate, the back Romain Buros (UBB), is selected.
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As an opening half, behind the essentials Romain Ntamack and Matthew Jalibert, there was still a place to be taken. Logically, it is Antoine Hastoy (La Rochelle), author of good performances under its new colors, which was selected rather than Louis Carbonel (Montpellier) and the young Leo Barre (Stade Français), yet cited by Fabien Galthié as a player followed.
Internship in Capbreton
Among the absences of mark, Cameron Woki (Racing 92), victim of a broken hand, was not summoned. Long-term injuries, three-quarters centers Jonathan Danty (La Rochelle) and Arthur Vincent (Montpellier), two executives of the group, will not be there either. In the pack, two other players are missing: the second-line Florian Verhaeghe (Montpellier, shoulder) and the right pillar Jean-Baptiste Gros (Toulon, forearm). On the return side, Paul Willemse (Montpellier), who returned to the field in mid-December after four months of absence, is logically returning to the cage. Already summoned and selected (two selections each), the second rows Thomas Jolmes (UBB) and Thomas Lavault (La Rochelle) are part of the group of 42.
The Blues will be reunited at the CNR of Marcoussis from Sunday January 22, before leaving for a ten-day internship in Capbreton (Landes). The XV of France will begin the defense of its title in the Six Nations Tournament on Sunday February 5 (4 p.m.), with a trip to Italy. Before, a week later, the shock of this 2023 edition against Ireland, the number 1 nation in the world ranking, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. A real test for the Blues less than eight months from “their” World Cup.
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