2023-10-04 14:53:08
It was at the Limonest cultural center, in the western suburbs of Lyon, that Fabien Galthié unveiled this Wednesday the composition of the French XV against Italy this Friday evening (9 p.m.) at the Groupama Stadium in Décines. In the absence of Antoine Dupont, who is awaiting his appointment next Monday with the surgeon who operated on a fractured cheekbone on September 22 to find out if he can resume contact training, Maxime Lucu will start as scrum half.
This is one of two changes from the starting XV which swept Namibia (96-0) on September 21. The other concerns the return of La Rochelle’s 3rd line Grégory Alldritt, who pushes Toulouse’s François Cros onto the substitutes’ bench. The captain’s armband will be worn by Charles Ollivon, who held this role before a rupture of the cruciate ligaments in his left knee in June 2021 sidelined him from the Blues for more than a year.
The return of Julien Marchand (victim of a muscular injury to the left thigh during the opening match against the All Blacks on September 8) having been postponed, Peato Mauvaka was reappointed as hooker. The young Bordeaux winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 20, was once again preferred to Toulonnais Gabin Villière for this meeting which will constitute a sort of round of 16. Despite a flawless performance so far, the Blues have no room for error against the Italians. A defeat would indeed very likely mean elimination.
The France team against Italy: Ramos – Penaud, Fickou, Danty, Bielle-Biarrey – (o) Jalibert, (m) Lucu – Ollivon (cap.), Alldritt, Jelonch – Flament, Woki – Atonio, Mauvaka, Yawn. Substitutes: Wardi, Bourgarit, Aldegheri, Taofifenua, Cros, Couilloud, Moefana, Jaminet.
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