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Six Nations

France change two, give first start to 19-year-old Posolo Tuilagi

By Liam Heagney

272 days ago

France's Posolo Tuilagi (Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Fabien Galthie has made two changes to his France team to host Italy in Lille on Sunday, including giving the 19-year-old Posolo Tuilagi his first Test start after two appearances off the bench.

Last time out, the French clung on to a 20-16 Guinness Six Nations win over Scotland in Edinburgh, a February 10 success that needed a last-gasp TMO decision to go in their favour after the game’s final play over the try line was reviewed by the officials.

Injury to Gregory Alldritt means Galthie wasn’t in a position to keep in situ his entire starting XV from BT Murrayfield. However, aside from promoting Paul Boudehent from the bench to fill the back row vacancy, the head coach has decided to drop Paul Gabrillagues and hand Tuilagi his first Test start.

Can anyone beat Ireland? The Boks Office discuss | RPTV

The Boks Office discuss Ireland and France’s performances in the opening round of the Six Nations. Watch the full show exclusively on RugbyPass TV

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Can anyone beat Ireland? The Boks Office discuss | RPTV

The Boks Office discuss Ireland and France’s performances in the opening round of the Six Nations. Watch the full show exclusively on RugbyPass TV

Watch now

A star at the Junior World Championship in Cape Town last July with the title-winning French U20s, Tuilagi featured off the Test bench in the recent Six Nations games versus Ireland and Scotland but he now makes the step up for his maiden start.

The naming of Boudehent as Alldritt’s replacement resulted in a back row reshuffle, with Francois Cros switching to No8 and his blindside role being filled by the promoted Boudehent.

Fixture

Six Nations

France

13 - 13

Full-time

Italy

All Stats and Data

His inclusion has left Esteban Abadie primed to make his Test debut from the bench. The other change to the replacements is the call-up for Romain Taofifenua to cover for Tuilagi’s promotion into the starting XV.

?????? La composition de ??? ????? pour affronter l'Italie ! #FRAITA
? Rendez-vous dimanche à 16h à Lille pour la 3ème journée des #SixNations 2024#NeFaisonsXV #XVdeFrance pic.twitter.com/ZA0ZniZIRV
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) February 23, 2024

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Comments

1 Comment

Jérémie 272 days ago

We clearly want Italy to win this game with such a team. The world cup will be very hard to forget.

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Comments on RugbyPass

Bull Shark 12 minutes ago

Sadness pervades as Gatland stands on the brink of Welsh exit

Not true. I'm a South African and I absolutely loved seeing the Wallabies beating England. And miss the Wallabies of old who were a devastating force with some of the greatest players of all time.

I hear quite regularly that Australians prefer Aussie rules, league, and cricket over rugby.

So again, seems like Australians are to blame for the state of the game in Australia?

16 Go to comments

Bull Shark 20 minutes ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

I find Ben Smith to be an emotionally driven hysteric. So I question everything he writes.

He launched into the year about the ABs being back this year. For a "journalist" his opinions are based on the flavour of the month.

He's at least gone quiet about how sh1t the boks actually are. Although I suspect he's working on an outrageous article to that effect as we speak, to drive engagement after the end of the Autumn series, as we'll all be taking a break until the 6N.

22 Go to comments

Chesterfield 23 minutes ago

Michael Hooper reacts to Scott Barrett’s controversial late-game call

The dominant pack should be enforcing their superiority with maximum points and the psychological advantage of taking the lead.

You don’t get that by saying we’ll settle for three and try again you get it by scoring seven and trying again. Doesn’t come off every time?

No.

But if you’ve asserted dominance letting the opposition off and not trying to build a double score difference is wrong minded.

All blacks have traditionally played to build the unassailable lead not meekly win a single point victory.

11 Go to comments

Arnold 25 minutes ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

Aaah. Ben Smith. Ever the unbiased, objective rugby scribe......NOT.

Unable to give credit where it's due, other than for the ABs, especially when it comes to the Boks. His contempt for them is tangible. If you want to " Get Real" about these ABs Ben, consider when they last beat the Boks??? For us Bok fans, beating the ABs is the only true measure.

22 Go to comments

Reader76 44 minutes ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

"they [All Blacks] are nuggety and resourceful and don’t wilt. They are prepared to win the hard way, accumulating points by any means necessary."

Sounds like you're describing your arch-nemesis Ben 😁

22 Go to comments

CM 47 minutes ago

'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame'

This article only shows a part of SBs failings as England Coach. Firstly his reputation st Leicester was false, his SA and Welsh players won the matches not his coaching prowess. He has Wigglesworth as attack coach, someone who rarely attacked when playing. His player selection is awful, ignoring form players and sticking with failed internationals. He picks players that he knows and will be easy to manage for him. What on earth is Slade doing when even for Exeter he does not make line breaks with steppping, pace or guile, why on earth are Cole,George,Steward,Ford,Iseweke and a few other anywhere near the Team. Borthwick is awful as Head Coach of England.

1 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 49 minutes ago

Key Wallabies trio running hot a year after being left in cold

Good to be writing about a WB team that has beaten two 6 N sides in successive weeks, Brett.

Lolesio indeed is looking very comfortable under Schmidt coaching. He must feel as confident now as he was feeling in his spell at Toulon last year. It will be interesting to see how he does against Finn Russell.

30 Go to comments

J Marc 1 hour ago

'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Your unterstanding of the relation FFR LNR, is far better than the one in the article. For Meafou, there is an article on Skelton saying he is totally indispensable in the australian game.

In France they are often compared, and french game is often, but not always ,based on this kind of number 5. But , there are a lot of kind of play in France and in the world, and it's a blessing, because otherwise, the game would be boring.

On my other post ,which you replied, my intention was to explain with some historics facts the main importance, in France, of the championship.

But ,once again, I would prefer 3 games in NZ , with the better french players.

287 Go to comments

Ninjin 1 hour ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

I said before the November tests that the AB's should go smash some Nh teams to find their feet and it seems that is just what they did bar France. Could have should have always sucks. Better to look to the future.

22 Go to comments