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Dupont trains but unavailable as France name team for Italy
France’s head coach, Fabien Galthié, has unveiled his 23-man squad for the upcoming Pool A match against Italy at OL Stadium in Lyon on Friday, October 6th.
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Charles Ollivon will captain the team for the 14th time, marking his first stint in the role since November 2022 when he led against Japan in Toulouse.
Maxime Lucu takes the scrum-half position, stepping in for injured captain Antoine Dupont. He will partner flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert, a combination that hasn’t been seen since their two-test tour of Japan in July 2022. Star halfback Dupont has returned to training but is currently unavailable for selection.
It will only be the third time since Dupont’s international debut in 2017 that France will face Italy without his presence. On the previous two occasions, France emerged victorious 34-17 in Marseille in 2018 and 36-5 in Paris in November 2020.
Damian Penaud enters the match as a standout performer in 2023, having notched up the highest number of tries scored with an impressive tally of 12. He’s currently on a six-game try-scoring streak, marking the longest such streak of his career. He is also France’s third all-time leading try-scorer, with 33 tries to his name, trailing only Serge Blanco (38) and Vincent Clerc (34).
Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who made his debut for France against Scotland in Edinburgh earlier this year, takes the left wing slot ahead of Gabin Villiere. He has scored four tries in just five tests.
France top Pool A and need just a draw to progress. A win for Italy, without 2 France bonus points (losing within seven and for scoring four tries), could see the hosts knocked out.
FRANCE TEAM TO PLAY ITALY
1 Cyril Baille
2 Peato Mauvaka
3 Uini Atonio
4 Cameron Woki
5 Thibaud Flament
6 Anthony Jelonch
7 Charles Ollivon (c)
8 Gregory Alldritt
9 Maxime Lucu
10 Matthieu Jalibert
11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey
12 Jonathan Danty
13 Gael Fickou
14 Damian Penaud
15 Thomas Ramos
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Replacements:
16 Pierre Bourgarit
17 Reda Wardi
18 Dorian Aldegheri
19 Romain Taofifenua
20 Francois Cros
21 Baptiste Couilloud
22 Yoram Moefana
23 Melvyn Jaminet
Rugby World Cup
Pool A
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
France
3
3
0
0
13
2
New Zealand
3
2
1
0
10
3
Italy
3
2
1
0
10
4
Uruguay
3
1
2
0
5
5
Namibia
4
0
4
0
0
Pool B
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
South Africa
4
3
1
0
15
2
Ireland
3
3
0
0
14
3
Scotland
3
2
1
0
10
4
Tonga
3
0
3
0
0
5
Romania
3
0
3
0
0
Pool C
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Wales
3
3
0
0
14
2
Australia
4
2
2
0
11
3
Fiji
3
2
1
0
10
4
Georgia
3
0
2
1
3
5
Portugal
3
0
2
1
2
Pool D
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
England
3
3
0
0
14
2
Argentina
3
2
1
0
9
3
Japan
3
2
1
0
9
4
Samoa
3
1
2
0
6
5
Chile
4
0
4
0
0
Earlier, Italy named their team:
