LAST UPDATE | 9 Mar 2022
FRANCE SKIPPER ANTOINE Dupont has overcome a training ground stinger to be named in the starting XV to face Wales in the Six Nations in Cardiff on Friday [KO 8pm, RTÉ 2].
But winger Damian Penaud misses out after testing positive for Covid-19, his place taken by the free-scoring Gabin Villière, who sat out the Scotland win through injury.
Dupont left Tuesday’s training with his left arm bandaged and an ice pack wrapped round it, the 26-year-old scrum-half forced to leave the session early after coming off worse in contact with a fellow squad member.
The world player of the year, who had his elbow and biceps treated on the sidelines, has been crucial to France’s current successful run: the team has notched up three wins from three matches and are bidding for their first Grand Slam since 2010, the last time they won the title.
🏴🇫🇷 Voici 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐞́𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐩𝐞 pour affronter le Pays de Galles vendredi soir à Cardiff !
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) March 9, 2022
Rendez-vous à 21h sur @France2tv ! 💪🔥 #GALFRA #XVdeFrance #NeFaisonsXV pic.twitter.com/BSYpZSClPt
France coach Fabien Galthié named Villière, scorer of a hat-trick of tries in the 37-10 opening win over Italy and star of the 30-24 victory over Ireland, in place of Penaud, with Yoram Moefana retaining the other wing spot.
Moefana had stepped in after Villière missed the 36-17 rout of Scotland with a facial injury.
Villière is the sole change from that run-out in Murrayfield.
Dupont is joined at half-back by Toulouse teammate Romain Ntmack, with Gael Fickou and Jonathan Danty in midfield, Yoram Moefana on the other wing and Melvyn Jaminet at full-back.
The pack is unaltered, New Zealand-born Uini Atonio and Cyril Baille propping up hooker Julien Marchand while Cameron Woki and South African-born Paul Willemse are named in the second row.
Anthony Jelonch, Gregory Alldritt and Francois Cros form an ultra-competitive backrow.
Prop Mohamed Haouas comes in for Demba Bamba among the replacements, Galthié going for a four-three forwards-backs split, with Toulouse winger Matthis Lebel named at the expense of Toulon lock Romain Taofifenua, the second squad member to test positive for coronavirus.
Meanwhile, flanker Josh Navidi has been recalled to the Wales team in a reshaped back-row.
Navidi made his comeback appearance for Cardiff last week after five months out because of a shoulder injury, while he has not played Test rugby for almost a year.
But he will pack down alongside Taulupe Faletau at number eight, with Seb Davies handed blindside flanker duties.
The new-look breakaway trio means that Ross Moriarty and Taine Basham drop out of the starting line-up following Wales’ narrow defeat against England 11 days ago.
Basham has been among Wales’ most consistent performers this season, but he does not feature in the match-day 23. Moriarty is on the bench.
And a change at loosehead prop sees Ospreys forward Gareth Thomas preferred to Wyn Jones.
One back division switch sees Scarlets centre Jonathan Davies replacing Nick Tompkins and partnering Owen Watkin in midfield.
Tompkins was not considered for selection after suffering a concussion during Saracens’ Gallagher Premiership game against Leicester last Saturday.
Wales
15. Liam Williams
14. Alex Cuthbert
13. Owen Watkin
12. Jonathan Davies
11. Josh Adams
10. Dan Biggar (captain)
9. Tomos Williams
1. Gareth Thomas
2. Ryan Elias
3. Tomas Francis
4. Will Rowlands
5. Adam Beard
6. Seb Davies
7. Josh Navidi
8. Taulupe Faletau
Replacements:
16. Dewi Lake
17. Wyn Jones
18. Dillon Lewis
19. Ross Moriarty
20. Jac Morgan
21. Kieran Hardy
22. Gareth Anscombe
23. Louis Rees-Zammit
France
15. Melvyn Jaminet
14. Yoram Moefana
13. Gael Fickou
12. Jonathan Danty
11. Gabin Villière
10. Romain Ntamack
9. Antoine Dupont (captain)
1. Cyril Baille
2. Julien Marchand
3. Uini Atonio
4. Cameron Woki
5. Paul Willemse
6. Francois Cros
7. Anthony Jelonch
8. Gregory Alldritt
Replacements:
16. Peato Mauvaka
17. Jean-Baptiste Gros
18. Mohamed Haouas
19. Thibaud Flament
20. Dylan Cretin
21. Maxime Lucu
22. Thomas Ramos
23. Matthis Lebel
Comedian Michael Fry is our special guest on this week’s episode of The Front Row, in partnership with Guinness. Joining host Seán Burke, Eimear Considine and Murray Kinsella, he chats about his family’s rugby background and his short-lived playing days, before using his musical ear to rank the anthems of each Guinness Six Nations team. Click here to subscribe or listen below:
The42 / SoundCloud
