Japan-France, act two. The coach and manager of the Blues Fabien Galthié and Raphaël Ibañez announced Thursday the starting XV to challenge the Brave Blossoms on Saturday (7:50 a.m. in France). A list of 23, with a small sensation: the tenure of Max Spring, the rear of Racing 92. Aged 21, the young player will know his first selection and was preferred to Melvyn Jaminet, usual holder and scorer of the XV of France.
This tenure is the result of an express ascent for the Racingman, originally from the Basque Country. After a promising club season (9 games in the Top 14, 2 in the Champions Cup), Spring had shone in the jersey of the Barbarians, led by the coach of the XV of France, during the victory (52-21) against England before the tour. “He went to get his jersey,” said Fabien Galthié, referring to his excellent performance with the “Babas” in the reasons which had prompted the staff to launch the back.
The Blues can equal a historic record
For the rest, the entire starting team during the first test was renewed to start this meeting. An uncertain time, the three-quarter center of Bordeaux-Bègles Yoram Moefana, excellent during Saturday’s success (42-23) in Aichi, will finally be able to start. In the absence of Melvyn Jaminet, the role of scorer is assigned to scrum half Maxime Lucu, usual replacement for Antoine Dupont.
The composition of this group of 23 means that 16 of the 41 players present in Japan will not have played a single minute of play during this tour. This will be the case, for example, of the Toulonnais Swann Rebbadj, the neo-Montpellieran Louis Carbonel, the scrum half of Racing 92 Nolann Le Garrec or the four players from ProD2 (Perchaud, Laclayat, Baget, Reybier) summoned for this tour.
The XV of France will aim for a tenth victory in a row on Saturday against Japan. A success would allow them to equal the absolute success record of the Blues which dates back to the 1930s. A good way to end the season for these Blues.
Starting XV: Spring – Penaud, Moefana, Vakatawa, Lebel – (o) Jalibert, (m) Lucu – Ollivon (cap.), Tanga, Cretin – Jolmes, Flament – Bamba, Mauvaka, Gros
The substitutes: Bourgarit, Prisoner, Falatea, Lavault, Diallo, Macalou, Couilloud, Hastoy