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Six Nations

France change five for their Six Nations opener with Wales

France coach Fabien Galthie (second right) at a training session during a training session in Marcoussis last Sunday (Photo by Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)

Fabien Galthie has named his France team to host Wales in this Friday’s Guinness Six Nations opener in Paris, confirming an XV showing five changes from the November win over Argentina.

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Les Bleus closed off their unbeaten Autumn Nations Series with a commanding 37-23 victory over the Pumas and they now return to action 10 weeks later with a side containing three alterations in the backs and two more in the pack.

The recall of Romain Ntamack at out-half sees Thomas Ramos revert to full-back with the injured Leo Barre missing out. Pierre-Louis Barassi is back from the wilderness for a rare Test start at midfield in place of the unavailable Gael Fickou, while rookie Theo Attissogbe is named on the wing in place of Gabin Villiere.

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Antoine Dupont speaks at the official Men’s Six Nations launch

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    Antoine Dupont speaks at the official Men’s Six Nations launch

    France star Antoine Dupont spoke to the media at the official Guinness Men’s Six Nations launch event in Rome and at the Colosseum.

    In the forwards, lock Alexandre Roumat, who was a sub the last day, and No8 Gregory Alldritt come in for the injured duo of Thibaud Flament and Charles Ollivon.

    The headline news on a bench that retains its six/two forwards/backs split is the inclusion of Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, the pair who were arrested in the aftermath of their July 6 Test debuts against the Pumas in Mendoza.

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    Both became available for international selection with their country for the Six Nations after the alleged rape case against them was dismissed.

    Auradou fills the spot vacated by the promoted Roumat while Jegou takes over from Marko Gazzotti on a bench showing three changes in total from last November. Cyril Baille is the loosehead prop cover on this occasion instead of Reda Wardi.

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    Comments

    2 Comments
    f
    fl 56 days ago

    reckon france might win this one!

    j
    jZ 56 days ago

    I like it

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    Comments on RugbyPass

    C
    CV 1 hour ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    I think we’ll find out in a few months. France will be competitive. Clubs don’t run players into the ground like they used and rest them more. Last weekend, Toulouse rested their test players against Bordeaux. No Ntamack, Mauvaka, Kinghorn, Capuozzo…. Bordeaux played LBB and Penaud, but took them off once they had a good lead.

    86 Go to comments
    C
    CV 1 hour ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    A strong comp has the best players in it and they’re from everywhere. That doesn’t mean you win a WC… Based on your logic, England or Spain should win every FIFA WC and the US every basketball WC. They don’t. In latest FIFA WC final, only two players that came on the park, played in their domestic league (two Frenchmen), the others didn’t.

    5 out of 10 RWCs were won by teams with most of their players in SR, I would even argue 4 out of 10. For the first three SR did not exist, England won one, and of the last two SA won, they had their best players based outside SR with their 2019 win and weren’t even in SR for the last one.

    86 Go to comments
    J
    J Marc 1 hour ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Hum, maybe after answering every day to the same questions, players say what the journo wish to hear….

    86 Go to comments
    R
    Rodrigo N 1 hour ago
    Santiago Mare: 'We are the team that everybody wants to beat'

    Vamos Toto, vamos Pumas!!!!

    1 Go to comments
    G
    GP 3 hours ago
    Ioane Moananu didn't join the Crusaders 'to wait around'

    I will. I have heard a few people mention him.

    5 Go to comments
    A
    Andrew Nichols 4 hours ago
    Aaron Smith and ‘three or four other All Blacks’ keen to play for AUNZ XV

    Folau..Genia..Quade C and now Smith…any more pensioners want to front up?

    1 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 5 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Oh please!!!! Really????? So with 5mil people how do you expect NZR to suddenly have a club game that makes money? NZR does the best with its reality. And quite frankly its better than every other team in history.

    Look at all the French club resourses, English club money, Irish club money… Whats it done for their Test sides? Sweet FA. Money doesnt buy wins unless its heading into Wayne Barnes offshore bank account.

    86 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 5 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    No doubt we will find out when we have a world club championship. I wonder if it will ever be held in NZ?

    So all those superior comps in the NH and they cant win world cups? What can you possibably base your strength of comp on? I base it on results and so far almost every world cup has been won by SR players

    86 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 5 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Geez mate if losing means you “didnt bother to look” at the opposition then Ireland didnt “Look” at the opposition in any world cup every. Nor France, Wales, Scotland,etc. At least England can say they “Looked” at the opposition at 1 WC I suppose.

    86 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 5 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Our 10s were all injured in that 2007 match. Who was going to take the drop goal? You seem obsessed with 2007. I prefer 1987 and 2011 when we beat France in the final to win world cups. Where was the french drop goal in 2011? Was that arrogance? Did they believe they could outscore NZ? was that arrogance or ignorance? You can bag out NZ all you want over 2007 but we can throw the exact same thing back at France over 2011 where they couldnt win. NZ beat them twice in that tournament.

    86 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 5 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    There was no disrespect because they beat us. Youre making that up. There was a real determination to beat you at the WC. We respected Ireland rugby so much we had a specific plan to beat you at the 1/4 final. As soon as the draw was announced I was very keen to see us play you in that match. Your team showed nothing but disrespect with crass comments, arrogant post SA loss comments and critique of some of our best players. You earned our retaliation. That will forever be on you. Now that match was won by 4 points from memory but it was the best 4 point win Ive ever experienced. There is nothing better than beating the class clown/Bully, and particularly at a major game like a WC 1/4 final.

    No doubt you have special memories of Ireland wins and no doubt some of those will be wins against NZ, well this is, so far, my best memory against Ireland and even eclipsed the game where we scored after the siren and your boys charged the conversion way before it was taken. The miss would have meant your first win v NZ but Cruden slotted the second conversion to win the game.

    86 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 6 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Yep. Ireland got cocky and then got outcoached. Real pretty to watch after the arrogance they showed and after the BS they put out. Calling Cane a “Sh&T Richie” doesnt get more disrespectful and then YES they claimed they would see SA in the final. Etzebet was forced to retract and back away from his statement publicly. Never privately tho.

    Leaving Sexton on when he could hardly walk was funny. Coach didnt back his team. Just a couple of stars. Fell at the same hurdle as every other world cup. Now they are past their window and that makes me laugh because of the way their players and fans acted post winning in NZ.

    86 Go to comments
    R
    Rugby 101 - Ed Pye 6 hours ago
    Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

    Fair points JW - I just think the commercial value of a draft trumps all of the potential issues. Rugby is very slow when it comes to marketing and that is hurting it financially.

    33 Go to comments
    J
    JW 6 hours ago
    Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

    Lawrence had to be growing old on him. He’s like Rieko or Jordie, seems like he has all the potential to play well at that level.

    117 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 6 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Yes true but it wont be those players playing a semi or a final at the WC so what they learn is redundant I suppose. I just think their are many ways to prepare for test rugby and then there are differences in preparing for a 6 week world cup campaign. Most nations do this prep by touring together. France avoids their top guys touring together for any longer than a night away in England or Ireland etc.

    Yep we have a small pool in NZ so need to develop our players. I note Aus is sending more B teams away these days too.

    86 Go to comments
    J
    JW 6 hours ago
    Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

    Huh? Ali is nothing like a pom, where’d that come from? Just half the story?

    117 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 6 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Losing 3 finals eh. Only team to do that? Thats because by the time they get to the finals they are argueing with themselves or their coaches. They dont know how to tour together because they DONT tour together. The protected get protected until they get to semi finals or finals then lose it. Ill never forget 2011 when they were even talking about locking the coach out of the dressing room. Perhaps they may have won if they wernt constantly in-fighting.

    Constantly made play against the wind? Maybe the “Wind” is of their own making!

    86 Go to comments
    J
    JW 6 hours ago
    Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

    Again, you’re obviously and factually wrong.


    The example of how is even the subject of this article CO LOL!

    Commentaries claiming players from this team need to be ignored by the Allblacks

    No. The commentary you are critizing is exactly the same as your own. That a play should choose their country and stick with it. Not that criticizing your own view would make any less sense than any of the other points you’ve tried raising here!


    Also, you can remove the last sentence of your OP anytime now. It’s making us supporters look bad.

    33 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 6 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    I agree. Nothing should have been said and it would have created 6mths less worth of BS. France still didnt win a world cup then tho.

    86 Go to comments
    J
    JW 7 hours ago
    Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

    I’m not saying drafting is not a good idea when possible, I’m just saying there are a lot of different dynamics in play that make a draft impossible in places.


    Not referring to law international, just the way sports are made up. For instances, the draft works in the NFL (and all american sports) because of the financial incentive. If a sport can’t provide that, then it’s participants are not going to opt in.

    33 Go to comments
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