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Six Nations France Scotland Camille Chat Damian Penaud Fabien Galthie

Fit-again Penaud back in the mix for Grand Slam-chasing France

By Online Editors

25 Feb 2020

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

France have chosen a 28-man training squad to prepare later this week for their March 8 Guinness Six Nations match away to Scotland.

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The rejuvenated French remain the only country capable of winning the Grand Slam following their round three win away to Wales and previously unbeaten Ireland’s comprehensive loss to England.

Their big development heading into round four is the uncertainty of replacement hooker Camille Chat.

He shipped an injury during the Principality Stadium win and with his availability in doubt for Murrayfield, coach Fabien Galthie has opted to exclude him now rather than hope the injury comes right.

Jefferson Poirot, the prop excluded for the Cardiff trip, is back in the mix following an injury to Cyril Baille.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇫🇷 Voici la liste des 𝟐𝟖 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬 convoqués par @FGalthie et Raphaël Ibañez pour préparer le prochain match du tournoi des @SixNations_FR contre l'Écosse. Les joueurs rejoindront le CNR le 27 février dans la soirée. #NeFaisonsXV #XVdeFrance #ECOFRA pic.twitter.com/hLhfB1s8k8
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) February 25, 2020

Also back is Clermont winger Damian Penaud, who missed the first tree rounds of the championship due to a pain in his calf.

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Comments on RugbyPass

J

JD Kiwi 18 minutes ago

Have the All Blacks stumbled across the perfect midfield partnership?

Great for us to finally have a ventre who can consistently get over the gainline. Tupaea’s skills and rugby intelligence have also improved a lot since 2022.

It’ll be interesting to see how he goes up North.

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15 Go to comments

J

JB 59 minutes ago

Have the All Blacks stumbled across the perfect midfield partnership?

Would like to see Proctor at 13 with someone else at 12, not Jordie Barrett. Jordie is very good at some things, but would like to see how the rest of the backline functions when second-five has quick feet, and more agility.

15 Go to comments

S

SK 1 hour ago

Flavour of the month selections for the All Blacks are not viable long-term

I cant help but agree with Bidwell this time. Razor is not improving the players or doesnt seem to have an overall plan for this squad. How long will some of the new guys last is anyones guess. Razor falls back on his tried and tested players but still has a long way to go before he can say he has improved the squad. This was meant to be the year the AB’s made a statement and they still can with 4 from 4 up north but they did not win TRC and they were underwhelming against France. They dont look like a better team compared to last year and there isnt much visible progress. Yes they have ticked off a win against the Boks at home and got the Bledisloe done. They also got more wins in TRC this year compared to last and tied on points with the Boks. While these are positives its still hard to see the gameplan and put your finger on the progress.

88 Go to comments

D

DS 1 hour ago

Jake White: Why I'm deeply troubled after stellar Rugby Championship

Living in the past, Jake doesn't work, especially when you consider that the game was kept down as an amateur sport until 1995 by the pom Posh Boys who didn't like the idea of losing ‘their’ game to the hoi polloi. In fact, a lot of amazing Welsh players ended up in rugby league and were lost to the game (much to the joy of those public school types no doubt, who regularly got thrashed by them).

And the Six Nations is all very well, but is never a fair reflection overall as it's not done on a home-and-away basis, much like the so-called Rugby Championship has become, thanks to the two-games-away and home that was brought in to keep SA happy because of all the ridiculous travelling across so many time zones that disfavoured our team (even worse in ‘Super’ rugby) because of jetlag, which could be one of the reasons - along with the rain - that led to the Eden Park loss. While it sounds like our URC sides are forced to use cheap (and cattle class seats?) airlines, at least they're travelling N-S and not W-E.

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6 Go to comments

S

SK 1 hour ago

'Tonyball, ageing warriors and worrying growth' - What the Springboks learned from the Rugby Championship

The Springboks are developing well however there are still concerns over depth at 6,7 and 8. Yes PSDT and Siya had a great championship and Marco and Jasper were excellent but when Jasper was injured there was no good options to replace him at 8 and at 7 even fewer options to replace PSDT. Smith has been excellent from the bench. Franco Mostert is now past it and cant play in the loosies, yes Hanekom and Louw are to come back but they are struggling to stay fit and between them have just a few caps so are hardly experienced campaigners. So the Boks need to find new options fast as I believe Kolisi is waning and is only capable of a good 50-60mins. By the next world cup he will be a bench player at best and PSDT is a monster but he will be 2 years older come 2027 and may not be an 80min player. Paul de Villiers looks good for the Stormers and would love to seem him in the squad. As for Eben he is hardly raging against the dying light. He has been dominated in the collisions this year and struggled at times. Rassie is now pulling him in the 50th minute as he drops of severely after that. I cant see him making the next world cup unless he wraps himself in cotton wool for large parts of the domestic season. DDA and Kriel are also too slow as a combo now. That was obvious in losses to Aus and NZ and more so in the final 20 against Argy in London. Boks have some backup at 12 and 13 though with Willemse, Sacha, Hooker all able to play there but I would like to see Henco Van Vyk given a chance. Front row and backfield look healthy and 9 and 10 have many options. Boks in good shape but would love to see even more youngsters given a chance on this tour.

8 Go to comments

R

Rodeo4 1 hour ago

The losers of the All Blacks' Rugby Championship campaign

Post RWC the ABs forward pack had moved on to where it was thought they'd re-armed to a respectable level even suggesting to most rugby analysts they now have parity with all tier one forward packs that of course was until they faced the Springboks in the RC

2 Go to comments

H

Hammer Head 2 hours ago

'Tonyball, ageing warriors and worrying growth' - What the Springboks learned from the Rugby Championship

I think France is the true test.

France will be greatest threat to the Boks WC ambition. I have no doubt. They are ahead of the boks on terms of time to build their team. They have massive depth. They have superstars all over the park and they have experienced blended with youth. And they are very well coached.

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8 Go to comments

A

Andrew Nichols 2 hours ago

The losers of the All Blacks' Rugby Championship campaign

“In terms of skillset and form, Quinn Tupaea and Leicester Fainga’anuku comfortably overshadow Ioane’s prowess as a crash-ball threat; his distribution game doesn’t stack up well against Billy Proctor, he doesn’t break tackles or finish like Leroy Carter or Caleb Clarke, and his high-ball game isn’t up to scratch at the Test level.

His strengths lie in defence, where he is second to none at keeping pace while tracking the ball as it is put through the hands, and still has an uncanny ability to save tries right on the goal line.”

...

2 Go to comments

S

SB 4 hours ago

10 Wallabies and SVNS star named in Australia A squad to play Japan XV

Interesting that Pete Samu is in this squad.

1 Go to comments

C

CO 4 hours ago

Have the All Blacks stumbled across the perfect midfield partnership?

They need to build depth but yes he's been a puzzling ghost squad member

15 Go to comments

O

Over the sideline 5 hours ago

Have the All Blacks stumbled across the perfect midfield partnership?

ALB can't buy game time. Apparently he is becoming less effective the less he plays. Players can’t show their ability off the field.

15 Go to comments

C

CO 6 hours ago

Have the All Blacks stumbled across the perfect midfield partnership?

Proctor offers zero off the bench as a specialist centre. He's to me a backup given his average, lack of any x factor performances. ALB hits a lot harder and not as lateral

15 Go to comments

C

CO 6 hours ago

Have the All Blacks stumbled across the perfect midfield partnership?

Leicester I like, similar directness to Quinn but Quinn has more pace.Midfield depth is getting there with Rieko and ALB. Proctor had plenty of opportunity and ran laterally and defensive lapses. Still a work on though and discard Timoci.

15 Go to comments

C

CO 6 hours ago

Have the All Blacks stumbled across the perfect midfield partnership?

How would it bite the Boks a third world cup win in a row? Is that you Rassie 😆

15 Go to comments

J

JB 6 hours ago

Flavour of the month selections for the All Blacks are not viable long-term

BB hasn’t run in 5 years in Super or International Rugby. That can only be BB’s failing. Even from 15 his default was to kick. Occasionally he would be involved in a catch and pass and the media fan club would rave.

88 Go to comments

F

Flankly 6 hours ago

'Tonyball, ageing warriors and worrying growth' - What the Springboks learned from the Rugby Championship

Makes sense.

The Du Preez thing feels uncomforltably half-pregnant. Either Rassie needs to rack up the caps for Dan/JL, or move on from them. A player needs 10 or 15 caps to even be a reliable emergency call up in the RWC.

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8 Go to comments

B

B 6 hours ago

Have the All Blacks stumbled across the perfect midfield partnership?

It's obvious that they'll both get selected for the AB”s November Tour…

If they're both physically and mentally fit, healthy and injury free, Jordie #12 and Quinn #13 to start vs Ireland with Proctor off the bench…

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15 Go to comments

O

Over the sideline 6 hours ago

Flavour of the month selections for the All Blacks are not viable long-term

Its deliberate. He is keeping the spot open. Not that the 10s are an issue. You don’t need a Dan Carter for the backline to function. More a decent plan. I look at the Wallabies backline. It’s going very well, yet no one would select Edmed above BB or DM.

He HAS to bring in Jacomb and Reihana for the tour tho… we’ll hopefully.

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88 Go to comments

O

Over the sideline 7 hours ago

Flavour of the month selections for the All Blacks are not viable long-term

He didn’t bring those guys in this year tgo did he. Tupara is a test player from Foster's era who had a injury, lakau played last year… more injury…leister is a yest player from Foster's era and just back.

Carter and Parker are the newbies. Parker probably the only one he really wanted. Carter was injury cover and wouldn’t be near a jumper if Clarke, Narawa and Reece wernt out for periods.

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88 Go to comments

C

Carlos 7 hours ago

'If the Boks' beauty doesn't get you, its Bomb Squad beast certainly will'

Right now, my primary aerobic activity is cycling, so I’m quite familiar with their actions. You cannot imagine the carbohydrate intake per hour of activity. They train their GI systems to absorb carbohydrates faster! Ridiculous!

I do mean it that they could learn fueling from these guys.

...

173 Go to comments

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