With the Toulouse and La Rochelle executives at rest, coach Fabien Galthié has put together a mixed selection, between executives, returnees and newcomers, for the two July tests in Japan.
It is a real game of musical chairs that Fabien Galthié and his staff had to achieve for the summer tour of the XV of France in Japan (test matches on July 2 and 9 in Tokyo and Nagoya). The goal? Nominate 42 players. Disabilities? Do without the finalists from Castres (Barlot, Hounkpatin, Vanverberghe) and Montpellier (Haouas, A. Vincent, Bécognée, Rattez, Bouthier, without forgetting Willemse, injured anyway).
But also of most Toulouse and Rochelais people who have given a lot for their country this season. No Dupont or Ntamack, no Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille, no Jelonch, or Cros. Resting Thomas Ramos. Just like the Rochelais Grégory Alldritt, Uini Atonio and Jonathan Danty. Brice Dulin should have been, but the back of the European champions still suffers from the ribs. The three-quarter center of Racing 92, Gaël Fickou, is also left to rest.
Five Toulousains are nevertheless present in this list: Aldegheri, Flament, Mauvaka, S. Tolofua and Lebel. To compensate for these absences, the coach mixed. Some executives automatically enrolled, ghosts (Matthieu Jalibert, Charles Ollivon or Virimi Vakatawa). And lots of new stuff. Decryption.
A handful of executives on the bridge
Package for the Six Nations Tournament, Matthieu Jalibert takes advantage of the exemption granted to Romain Ntamack, and the elimination of UBB in the semi-finals, to (re)take the opening. damian Sheepish, he refused to be put to rest. At the end of a season plagued by injuries, the Clermont winger will be on the trip. Just like the back of Perpignan Melvyn Jaminet. We can place the center of the UBB Yoram Sleep in this list, he who started three of the five Grand Slam tricks last spring.
A pinch of ghosts
Charles Ollivon, after a year in the closet due to a serious knee injury, is finally back. As a captain or just a player? Galthié has not yet decided. Virimi They fell, out of form for part of the season, will certainly have playing time in Japan. Louis Carbonel, overtaken by Ntamack, Jalibert, but also Hastoy, in the spirit of the tricolor staff, is offered an opportunity to shake up the hierarchy. On the ghost side, we can also mention the hookers Pierre Bourgarit (Rochelais Stadium) and Christopher Tolofua (RCT). Or even the crushing European champion with the Stade Rochelais Dany prisoner. Bernard Le Roux and Baptiste Serin are not part of this group. Worrying for them just over a year from the World Cup…
Usual doubles who have everything to gain
Antoine Dupont resting, Maxime Funny (UBB) and Baptiste Couilloud (LOU) will have a card to play in a group where the absence of RC Toulon scrum-half Baptiste Serin is obvious. On the front line, hooker Peato mauvaka (Toulouse), the Jean-Baptiste pillars Gros (RCT) and Demba Bamba (LOU), who usually come into play, will have the opportunity to start. Among the regular members of the France group subscribed to the bench of substitutes or to the five places of reservists, we find the Toulouse winger Matthis LebelLyon third-line Dylan Cretinthe Parisian Sekou Macalouthe Pau Section opener Antoine untiltoy…
Many newcomers
17 players without selection are part of this list. Some were expected. Thus the rear of the Racing Max Spring or his young teammate Nolann The Garrec. At only 19, he established himself as the first scrum half of the Hauts-de-Seine club. Racing Yoan number 8 Tangathe promising flanker of Stade Rochelais Matthias Haddad or the talented rear of the RCT Aymeric Luc were also announced.
Others are more unexpected. Like second row Rémi Picquette (Stade Rochelais) or number 8 of the UBB Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer. There are also four Pro D2 players. The Thomas Pillar Laclayat and young winger Enzo Reybier for Oyonnax; the Matis pillar Percaud (19) and winger Remy Drumstick for Rowing Bayonne.
Surprise finally with the presence of a player from Castres Olympique, yet finalist of the Top 14 next Friday (the Blues will fly to Japan this Wednesday): the young center (or opener) Luis The brown (20 years). On which the staff of the CO apparently does not count for the last act of the season…
