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France name team for Fiji

France prop Rabah Slimani

Benjamin Fall and Rabah Slimani have been recalled to France’s starting XV for this weekend’s clash with Fiji in Paris.

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France ended their five-game losing run against Argentina last weekend and the majority of that team retain their places in Jacques Brunel’s side.

Two-try hero Teddy Thomas starts on the right wing, while scrum-half Baptiste Serin will look to repeat his accuracy from the tee after kicking 13 points against the Pumas.

Fall comes into the backline in place of Maxime Medard, while Slimani – who wins his 50th cap – slots in at tighthead prop alongside captain Guilhem Guirado and Jefferson Poirot.

Brunel also makes changes in the replacements with Julien Marchard and Demba Bamba set to make their Test debuts, the duo joined by Felix Lambey, Kelian Galletier and Geoffrey Doumayrou on the bench.

France: Benjamin Fall, Teddy Thomas, Mathieu Bastareaud, Gael Fickou, Yoann Huget, Camille Lopez, Baptiste Serin; Jefferson Poirot, Guilhem Guirado, Rabah Slimani, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Yoan Maestri, Wenceslas Lauret, Arthur Iturria, Louis Picamoles

Replacements: Julien Marchand, Dany Priso, Demba Bamba, Felix Lambey, Kelian Galletier, Antoine Dupont, Anthony Belleau, Geoffrey Doumayrou

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J
JWH 2 hours ago
France outwrestle All Blacks in titanic Test for one-point win

I agree re-Barrett, he would be an excellent 6. Vaai he called him the squads Terminator! No use in shutting out other specialist 6s though like Frizell and Finau.


I don't think the Saders want Darry tbh, already have so much locking talent in Strange, Cahill, Hannah, and Barrett, with Gallagher returning after a spell at the Canes.


As for your ideas on SRP, I was thinking more expansion into the islands. Why just a Fijian team? Why not a Samoan and Tongan team as well? I think adding Japan could be cool, since they are in roughly the same timezone so not much jet lag. Only issue is that their seasons are reversed! Same with USA.


I think the best option is to keep to ourselves, with AUS, NZ, SAM, FIJ, and TNG. 5 teams for Australia (Brumbies, Reds, Tahs, Force, Rebels), 5 for NZ (Saders, Canes, Blues, Chiefs, Landers), and 4 for the PIs (Moana Pasifika, Drua, Tongan team, Samoan team).


If we expand into the PIs, we cut off a source of talent and entertainment from the Northern competitions like Top 14, and open a whole new market of people. Increase advertisment in Japan as well, since their in the same timezone, and we could be on track for a very good competition.


Plus, we would get gamedays like in America, one game queued up after another. Makes it a whole lot easier if you can just flick on the telly and BOOM theres the games. No need to plan out when things are, just get your mates around, flick it on in the background and chill with a cold beverage.

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