Fabien Galthié unveils this Thursday the team that will face Italy on Saturday (3.15 p.m.) at the opening of the Six Nations Tournament.
Back to business. It is Saturday, at 3.15 p.m., that the XV of France will begin its Six Nations Tournament with a trip to Rome to face the Nazionale. For this first match, Fabien Galthié and his staff had to deal with the injury absences of their opener Romain Ntamack (jaw) and their center Virimi Vakatawa (knee). They will logically be replaced respectively by Matthieu Jalibert (UBB), usual lining of Toulouse, and Arthur Vincent (Montpellier), regularly in the rotations in the center.
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In the wake of the last successful Fall Nations Cup, several “liners” have scored points and shaken up the hierarchy. At the back, the returning Brice Dulin (La Rochelle) could have taken the best of Anthony Bouthier, revelation of the last Tournament but in difficulty since. On the wings, Damian Penaud, who played only one match in blue in 2020 (defeat in Scotland but a test scored) due to injuries, should regain his place. Teddy Thomas (Racing 92) and Gabin Villière (Toulon) are in the balance for the other winger position, with a small advantage to the Racingman and despite the good recent performance of the Toulonnais.
Woki to replace Cros
In the pack, only one lack of a mark, that of Toulouse flanker François Cros, still in trouble with his foot injury contracted this fall. The staff should replace him with Cameron Woki (UBB), with a more airy and runner profile than Anthony Jelonch (Castres), another nice surprise of the fall but which evolves in a register close to that of Grégory Alldritt. The number 8 from Stade Rochelais, who missed the first week of the training camp in Nice after having undergone knee arthroscopy, should unsurprisingly be aligned against the Transalpins. The front five should not change compared to the typical team that emerged in 2020. Le Roux and Willemse making the pair in the second row, the trio Baille-Marchand-Haouas composing the first row. Answer this Thursday at 12:30 p.m.
The probable composition:
Dulin – Penaud, Vincent, Fickou, Thomas – (o) Jalibert, (m) Dupont – Ollivon (cap.), Alldritt, Woki – Willemse, Le Roux – Haouas, Marchand, Baille
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