The French Rugby Federation announced the return of several key personnel to the national squad, notably recalling Stade Toulousain hooker Julien Marchand and veteran center Gaël Fickou as preparations accelerate for an upcoming international fixture, Ouest-France reported. The XV de France is currently gathering at Marcoussis to prepare for a high-stakes encounter against South Africa, scheduled for Friday, November 13, in the Nations Championship.
Marchand spent nearly a month on the sidelines recovering from a thigh injury sustained in early October. The 31-year-old front-rower made his competitive return for Toulouse on Saturday in a 28-18 victory over Clermont-Ferrand, proving his fitness just in time for national team duty. With 53 international caps to his name, Marchand rejoins a competitive hooking pool that includes Bordeaux’s Maxime Lamothe and his club teammate Peato Mauvaka, according to Sud Ouest.
Marcoussis Training Camp Welcomes Returning Veterans
Alongside Marchand, 32-year-old center Gaël Fickou has been brought back into the 42-man training group at Marcoussis. Fickou brings 98 test caps of experience to the camp, though Europe Says notes that he faces significant competition for a spot in the matchday 23 against the Springboks. Autrefois un des hommes de base du XV de France et capitaine de la défense, Fickou doit faire face à la concurrence riche existant au poste de centre ces dernières saisons.
The squad overhaul also features the inclusion of Stade Toulousain winger Teddy Thomas. The 33-year-old former Racing 92 back has scored seven tries in nine appearances this season, bringing his career Top 14 tally to 83 tries during Saturday’s win against Clermont-Ferrand. Thomas earns his spot in the 42-man roster while high-profile names such as Bordeaux’s Damian Penaud—the all-time leading try-scorer for the XV de France—and Perpignan’s Théo Forner were left out of the selection.
Forced Changes Following Injuries to Ntamack and Jegou
Fly-half Romain Ntamack suffered a left shoulder injury during Saturday’s match against Fiji and has been ruled out for the remainder of the competition. In response, the staff called up Paris player Louis Carbonel, who has not featured on a French matchday sheet since the summer of 2021.
La liste du XV de France, annoncée dans la nuit par la FFR, pour préparer le choc face à l'Afrique du Sud ! Léon Darricarrère, Nicolas Depoortere, Théo Forner, Oscar Jegou, Charles Kante Samba, Romain Ntamack et Damian Penaud n'ont pas été rappelés par rapport à la semaine… pic.twitter.com/qKqTa5SZEg
In the pack, Section Paloise flanker Loïc Credoz joins the squad as a numerical replacement for the injured Oscar Jegou. Winger Gaël Dréan returns to the international team following a six-month absence due to heart surgery. Dréan marked his competitive return to club rugby on Saturday by scoring a try, securing his place in the Marcoussis training group ahead of Friday’s test.
Springbok Test Looms at Stade de France
Les Bleus will continue their preparations at the national training center this week before hosting the Springboks on Friday, November 13, with kickoff set for 21:10 local time at the Stade de France. The coaching staff must trim the 42-player group down to the final matchday squad in the days leading up to the fixture.
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