To start, the Blues rely on all the experience available in store. Fabien Galthié unveiled this Thursday the starting XV which will face Japan on Saturday (8 a.m.) in Aichi, the first of the two confrontations of the Habs against the Japanese. And logically, the French coach is betting on a team made up of elements that a priori offer the most guarantees for this inaugural test.
Ten players who achieved the Grand Slam during the last Six Nations Tournament are thus holders, with in particular the rear Melvyin Jaminet, the winger Damian Penaud, the three-quarter center Yoram Moefana or the first line Bamba-Mauvaka-Gros . At the hinge, the staff of the Blues chose to align the Matthieu Jalibert-Maxime Lucu tandem to take advantage of the automatic mechanisms of the Bordeaux-Bègles duo. The scrum half, usual lining of Antoine Dupont, will know his first tenure after seven first selections where he had entered during the match. The opener, absent through injury this winter, has a good opportunity to revive.
“All the players want to grab this opportunity presented to them, underlines Fabien Galthié. We have a team of hungry players, who want to match to climb higher in the hierarchy. »
Ollivon, captain back more than a year later
Logically appointed captain for this tour of the land of the Rising Sun, Charles Ollivon will start in the third row. It will be his first appearance in the jersey of the XV of France since March 2021 and a defeat against Scotland (23-27). A setback, followed by a rupture of the cruciate ligament of the left knee in June. The Toulonnais will play alongside Lyonnais Dylan Cretin and also Racing 92 player, leaving for La Rochelle, Yoan Tanga.
The latter is, with the second line of Bordeaux-Bègles Thomas Jolmes, one of the two neophytes who will start on Saturday against the Japanese. Another rookie, Thomas Lavault, will be on the bench, which includes Lyon scrum-half Baptiste Couilloud, La Rochelle hooker Pierre Bourgarit and Stade Français third line Sekou Macalou.
Reinforcements that could prove decisive in a moist heat that the Blues fear for this match scheduled for the afternoon (3 p.m. local time) in Japan. “We have seen players lose 3.5 liters of water in training describes Fabien Galthié. We take these conditions into account, we will see which team will be the most impacted. »
Starting XV: Jaminet – Penaud, Vakatawa, Moefana, Lebel – (o) Jalibert, (m) Lucu – Ollivon (cap.), Tanga, Cretin – Jolmes, Flament – Bamba, Mauvaka, Gros
The substitutes: Bourgarit, Priso, Falatea, Lavault, S. Tolofua, Macalou, Couilloud, Hastoy
