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Recall for Demba Bamba one of three changes to France squad versus Scotland

(Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

France have made three changes to their 31-strong squad that will prepare for the round three Guinness Six Nations match against Scotland on February 28, including a recall for prop Demba Bamba who earned the last of his 14 caps in the November Autumn Nations Cup win over Scotland.  

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Fresh from away wins over Italy and Ireland, the fixture versus the Scots will be the first home game of the campaign for the Grand Slam-chasing French who are seeking to win a first Six Nations title since 2010.  

Fabien Galthie has called up 31 players to assemble next Sunday for their third match this month and there are three alterations to what he has worked with during recent weeks. Hassane Kolingar, Baptiste Pesenti and Dorian Aldegheri have all left the France group and they have been replaced by Jean-Baptiste Gros, Swan Rebbadj and Bamba.

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It’s a Scottish takeover on the latest Le French Rugby Podcast

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    It’s a Scottish takeover on the latest Le French Rugby Podcast

    The squad announcement on Wednesday afternoon rounded off a tricky few days for the French as it was confirmed earlier in the day that assistant coach William Servat had become the third member of the management team to test positive for Covid-19. 

    The French rugby federation had announced on Tuesday that Les Bleus head coach Galthie had tested positive, while one other unnamed person also produced a positive test. All the players, though, returned a further complete round of negative tests.

    “Additional PCR tests will be carried out at home on Friday, as well as Sunday in the evening as soon as the players and staff arrive at the National Rugby Centre in Marcoussis,” read a French rugby federation media release. “Once the tests are completed, everyone will be placed in isolation awaiting the results.”

    FRANCE SQUAD (vs Scotland)
    FORWARDS: Uini Atonio (La Rochelle), Cyril Baille (Toulouse), Demba Bamba (Lyon), Jean-Baptiste Gros (Toulon), Mohamed Haouas (Montpellier); Pierre Bourgarit (La Rochelle), Julien Marchand (Toulouse), Peato Mauvaka (Toulouse); Killian Geraci (Lyon), Bernard Le Roux (Racing 92), Swan Rebbadj (Toulon), Romain Taofifenua (Toulon), Paul Willemse (Montpellier); Gregory Alldritt (La Rochelle), Dylan Cretin (Lyon), Anthony Jelonch (Castres), Charles Ollivon (Toulon), Cameron Woki (Bordeaux-Begles);
    BACKS: Sebastien Bezy (Clermont), Antoine Dupont (Toulouse), Baptiste Serin (Toulon); Louis Carbonel (Toulon), Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux-Begles); Gael Fickou (Stade Francais), Pierre-Louis Barassi (Lyon), Arthur Vincent (Montpellier); Damian Penaud (Clermont), Teddy Thomas (Racing 92), Gabin Villiere (Toulon); Anthony Bouthier (Montpellier), Brice Dulin (La Rochelle).

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    Comments on RugbyPass

    M
    MS 3 minutes ago
    Andy Farrell answers burning Owen Farrell Lions question

    I can understand negotiations for Kinghorn, White, and Ribbans. All three are playing very, very well at the current time. Kinghorn has been a leading contended for some time now; Ribbans looks as powerful as he’s ever been; while on the evidence of the most recent Six Nations, White benches behind JGP at Scrumhalf.


    However, noone in their right mind should be considering Kyle Sinckler, Courtney Lawes, nor Owen Farrell. Sinckler looks unfit and can barely move around the field with any great urgency. He would be a liability on tour to Australia. Lawes is clearly ‘enjoying life’ in ProD2, and his rugby looks every bit second tier level now.


    As for Farrell, not only has he been plagued by poor form and injury since moving to Racing, even the much vaunted ‘kicking record’ has long since been debunked as a USP with a percentage that simply does not stand up to scrutiny. That leaves only the intangible (desperate…) claim he would add ‘leadership’, which in a Lions squad resplendent with talent and international caps is I’m afraid, much like Farrell, a complete non-starter.

    2 Go to comments
    C
    CV 7 minutes ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Football always had ‘detached’ leagues. So do most other sports. Unions or federations never dictated who plays and how often like in NZ. Would be unheard of. You need independent clubs that really compete with each other in NZ but that would never happen because NZR would have to relinquish control over players. Rugby’s model is an exception in professional sport, not the rule.


    SA in the 6N? Never. Most want promotion/relegation to the REC and many want to keep it as it is. Much better for the game here when countries can finally get into the 6N. It will lead to more investment in REC nations because they can finally get ahead. Tier 1 nations do very little to grow the game outside their countries.


    SA should grow the game in Africa. Plenty of potential there.

    95 Go to comments
    E
    Ed the Duck 1 hour ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Touring NZ is a golden opportunity for every one of the French players that take the field to nail themselves into the squad. What better opportunity is there than to stand out for all the right reasons than a Test match in NZ? Any that manage to achieve that will only enhance the pool of talent available for ‘27.

    95 Go to comments
    E
    Ed the Duck 1 hour ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    NZR knew exactly when the Top14 final was when they signed the tour contract.

    95 Go to comments
    C
    CN 1 hour ago
    How centurion Sara Barattin helped propel Italy to new heights

    Lovely, lovely player. At her peak she was dynamic and difficult and always played with a smile. You got the feeling that as well as her teammates the opposition also respected her.

    1 Go to comments
    E
    Ed the Duck 1 hour ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Partially correct. NZ needs to get on with being the lead in developing the Pacific 6N and monetising Japan - and developing their competitiveness. That will enable all the financial support you mention.


    As for France, it’s not about “caring”, it’s about money and the club owners provide their money to drive their club agenda. Period. French rugby is a beast and your JIFF point is well made but SA is a beast also that’s now awake and England is a sleeping beast that is financially stricken. SA will make up a 7N and that will drive all 3 to new levels. The Irish, Scottish and welsh clubs are all union owned and will continue to struggle keeping up but the 7N revenue boost will help, as the SA involvement in the URC is doing currently.


    EPL is entirely different, football has followed its own path in allowing the league to detach and is an extreme example of what happens when the clubs are allowed to call the shots across the board. Not a path that rugby will follow fortunately.

    95 Go to comments
    C
    CN 1 hour ago
    How John Mitchell is giving Red Roses a purpose in 2025

    I’m not sure many agree with you on this one, Rugby Pass made her their player of the match last week and the comments on the BBC website, although mixed, were lauding her attributes. Her running lines are really good and incisive, very good passing range and her defence is better than ok. I do like her as an option and she would probably go to the RWC as a specialist FB and understudy. EK struggled against Canada at WXV because they doubled up on her every time and took away her space, why not give teams something different to defend?

    2 Go to comments
    D
    DH 1 hour ago
    Andy Farrell answers burning Owen Farrell Lions question

    Kinghorn and Willis should join after the Top14 final. O Farrell has been average all year and RC92 wants rid of him, he has no pace and is too dominant a character (like Ford) without the skills to back it up. Take the two Finns and Blair Kinghorn and all will be good.

    2 Go to comments
    E
    Ed the Duck 1 hour ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Started well but wobbled when you mentioned Irish club money (it’s all union owned with state help) and lost it completely talking about offshore accounts.


    That said, NZ have been phenomenally good at what they’ve done but it’s become a lot more difficult to be out in front and that isn’t going to change for them. They need to focus on the pacific 6N and monetise Japan but SA are the powerhouse and will stay that way when they monetise their certain involvement in a 7N comp, which will also boost English and French resources!

    95 Go to comments
    E
    Ed the Duck 1 hour ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    No I don’t. Point me to any discontent from the French about this? Sure the players have understandably said they’d love to go but that’s the sum total of it on the NH side. Everyone understands the decision making dynamic and the factors driving it. As you’ve already conceded above, NZR were also aware of exactly what was coming.

    95 Go to comments
    B
    BC 1 hour ago
    Morgane Bourgeois’ Women's Six Nations notebook: The first edition

    Interesting comment from Pauline Bourdon that France would have lost that match at WXV1. Does that mean that France have recovered their mojo and are once again potential worldbeaters?

    1 Go to comments
    E
    Ed the Duck 2 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Cooperation would be an interesting description of that relationship, the power sits with the money and that’s the club owners.

    95 Go to comments
    E
    Ed the Duck 2 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Ok, so you tell me why the top 20 French players will be rested for this tour. Explain what the context is and what the decision making process of all the key parties was?

    95 Go to comments
    D
    DC 2 hours ago
    English-qualified Amena Caqusau agrees Premiership switch from Glasgow

    It says he’s England qualified, but he’ll likely play for Scotland. He’s come through Scotland's development pathway (which i’m surprised even exists) so should play for them or Fiji.

    1 Go to comments
    B
    BC 2 hours ago
    USA make decision on Ilona Maher as they name player pool

    I think that Ilona Maher’s only position, other than somewhere in the back row, is a bulldozing battering 12. She does not have the pace for a winger or the experience for a 13. USA with Kelter and Cantona, etc have some good centres already.

    1 Go to comments
    A
    AS 2 hours ago
    Andy Farrell drafts 75-man Lions squad with blunt message to players

    Click bate, where’s the names?

    1 Go to comments
    S
    SeanBrody 2 hours ago
    Hurricanes re-sign Maori All Blacks prop for another season

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    0 Go to comments
    B
    BC 2 hours ago
    How John Mitchell is giving Red Roses a purpose in 2025

    I don’t understand the focus on Sing. Her one attribute that is better than everyone else’s is her place kicking, though it is not infallible (PWR final) and both Harrison and Scarratt can be very good off the tee. In other respects, she defends OK but does not pose the attacking threat that Kildunne, Dow, Breach and MacDonald (plus Millie David) do and if she does break clear is quite slow in comparison. I think she will be fortunate to make the RWC squad. She is a good player who would make most other teams, but the Red Roses would be a lesser team if some others were left out at her expense.

    2 Go to comments
    S
    SeanBrody 2 hours ago
    Two more players join concussion lawsuit against rugby authorities

    I fell victim to a sophisticated phishing scam that compromised my email when I clicked a malicious link. Hackers stole my seed phrases, draining $890,000 from my crypto wallet. They accessed my account, cloned my email, and monitored my conversations, then attempted to cover their tracks by transferring the funds to multiple micro wallets.

    Devastated but determined, I contacted a friend in the cybercrime department, who introduced me to Morphohack Cyber Service—a reputable crypto recovery company with a proven track record. Their experts meticulously traced my stolen funds, tracking the hackers’ wallets despite their laundering attempts.

    Thanks to Morphohack’s expertise in crypto forensics, my funds were successfully recovered. I’m incredibly grateful for their dedication to helping victims of crypto theft and highly recommend their services to anyone in need. Their contact info is below this post.

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    0 Go to comments
    C
    Cooperick 3 hours ago
    The defining moment that will 'raise massive question marks' for Ireland

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    10 Go to comments
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    TRENDING Aaron Smith and ‘three or four other All Blacks’ keen to play for AUNZ XV Aaron Smith and ‘three or four other All Blacks’ keen to play for AUNZ
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