GREGORY ALLDRITT RETAINS the France captaincy despite the return of Gael Fickou for Saturday’s Autumn Nations Series meeting with Australia in Paris this weekend.
Centre Fickou, 31, led the side in the opening game of the campaign, a humbling 32-17 defeat to South Africa, before he was rested for last weekend’s unconvincing 34-21 victory over Fiji in Bordeaux.
But with regular skipper Antoine Dupont out until December with a serious knee injury, No.8 Alldritt, who captained the side against Fiji after he was dropped for the Springbok clash, will again lead the team to face the struggling Wallabies on Saturday.
Racing 92′s Fickou gets the the nod to start on his 98th Test appearance as Pierre-Louis Barassi has been ruled out with concussion, in one of three changes made by head coach Fabien Galthie.
Locks Thibaud Flament and Emmanuel Meafou are included with Romain Taofifenua dropped to the bench and Charles Ollivon moving across to flanker as Oscar Jegou is named amongst the replacements.
Among the replacements, Toulouse’s 20-year-old centre Kalvin Gourgues is set for his Test debut after an impressive start to the French Top 14 season.
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For Australia, inexperienced fly-half Carter Gordon is one of five changes made by coach Joe Schmidt for this weekend’s clash.
Gordon, 24, is in line for just his 10th Test appearance as he replaces James O’Connor from last weekend’s defeat to Ireland.
Schmidt’s Wallabies are looking to avoid a 10th loss of the year on Saturday, which would be their largest ever number of defeats in a calendar year.
In the other changes, winger Dylan Pietsch replaces Filipo Daugunu and lock Nick Frost is in for Rob Valetini.
In the front row, prop Taniela Tupou takes the place of Allan Alaalatoa while hooker Billy Pollard stands in for Matt Faessler.
Prop Angus Bell and inside centre Len Ikitau are set to win their 50th Test caps.
France
15. Thomas Ramos
14. Damian Penaud
13. Nicolas Depoortere
12. Gael Fickou
11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey
10. Romain Ntamack
9. Maxime Lucu;
1. Jean-Baptiste Gros
2. Julien Marchand
3. Regis Montagne
4. Thibaud Flament
5. Emmanuel Meafou
6. Anthony Jelonch
7. Charles Ollivon
8. Gregory Alldritt (capt)
Replacements:
16. Maxime Lamothe
17. Rodrigue Neti
18. Thomas Laclayat
19. Romain Taofifenua
20. Hugo Auradou
21. Oscar Jegou
22. Baptiste Jauneau
23. Kalvin Gourgues
Australia
15. Max Jorgensen
14. Harry Potter
13. Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i
12. Len Ikitau
11. Dylan Pietsch
10. Carter Gordon
9. Jake Gordon
1. Angus Bell
2. Billy Pollard
3. Taniela Tupou
4. Jeremy Williams
5. Nick Frost
6. Tom Hooper
7. Fraser McReight
8. Harry Wilson (capt)
Replacements:
16. Matt Faessler
17. Aidan Ross
18. Allan Alaalatoa
19. Rob Valetini
20. Carlo Tizzano
21. Kalani Thomas
22. Tane Edmed
23. Filipo Daugunu
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Alldritt keeps France captaincy as inexperienced Gordon recalled by Australia
LAST UPDATE | 20 Nov 2025
GREGORY ALLDRITT RETAINS the France captaincy despite the return of Gael Fickou for Saturday’s Autumn Nations Series meeting with Australia in Paris this weekend.
Centre Fickou, 31, led the side in the opening game of the campaign, a humbling 32-17 defeat to South Africa, before he was rested for last weekend’s unconvincing 34-21 victory over Fiji in Bordeaux.
But with regular skipper Antoine Dupont out until December with a serious knee injury, No.8 Alldritt, who captained the side against Fiji after he was dropped for the Springbok clash, will again lead the team to face the struggling Wallabies on Saturday.
Racing 92′s Fickou gets the the nod to start on his 98th Test appearance as Pierre-Louis Barassi has been ruled out with concussion, in one of three changes made by head coach Fabien Galthie.
Locks Thibaud Flament and Emmanuel Meafou are included with Romain Taofifenua dropped to the bench and Charles Ollivon moving across to flanker as Oscar Jegou is named amongst the replacements.
Among the replacements, Toulouse’s 20-year-old centre Kalvin Gourgues is set for his Test debut after an impressive start to the French Top 14 season.
For Australia, inexperienced fly-half Carter Gordon is one of five changes made by coach Joe Schmidt for this weekend’s clash.
Gordon, 24, is in line for just his 10th Test appearance as he replaces James O’Connor from last weekend’s defeat to Ireland.
Schmidt’s Wallabies are looking to avoid a 10th loss of the year on Saturday, which would be their largest ever number of defeats in a calendar year.
In the other changes, winger Dylan Pietsch replaces Filipo Daugunu and lock Nick Frost is in for Rob Valetini.
In the front row, prop Taniela Tupou takes the place of Allan Alaalatoa while hooker Billy Pollard stands in for Matt Faessler.
Prop Angus Bell and inside centre Len Ikitau are set to win their 50th Test caps.
France
15. Thomas Ramos
14. Damian Penaud
13. Nicolas Depoortere
12. Gael Fickou
11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey
10. Romain Ntamack
9. Maxime Lucu;
1. Jean-Baptiste Gros
2. Julien Marchand
3. Regis Montagne
4. Thibaud Flament
5. Emmanuel Meafou
6. Anthony Jelonch
7. Charles Ollivon
8. Gregory Alldritt (capt)
Replacements:
16. Maxime Lamothe
17. Rodrigue Neti
18. Thomas Laclayat
19. Romain Taofifenua
20. Hugo Auradou
21. Oscar Jegou
22. Baptiste Jauneau
23. Kalvin Gourgues
Australia
15. Max Jorgensen
14. Harry Potter
13. Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i
12. Len Ikitau
11. Dylan Pietsch
10. Carter Gordon
9. Jake Gordon
1. Angus Bell
2. Billy Pollard
3. Taniela Tupou
4. Jeremy Williams
5. Nick Frost
6. Tom Hooper
7. Fraser McReight
8. Harry Wilson (capt)
Replacements:
16. Matt Faessler
17. Aidan Ross
18. Allan Alaalatoa
19. Rob Valetini
20. Carlo Tizzano
21. Kalani Thomas
22. Tane Edmed
23. Filipo Daugunu
– © AFP 2025
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