JACQUES BRUNEL HAS included five uncapped players in his 31-man training squad for the 2019 Six Nations, but the French coach must plot without the services of the injured Teddy Thomas.
The inclusion of 19-year-old Toulouse starlet Romain Ntamack means he is in line to emulate his father Émile by playing for France in the Six Nations, with his clubmates Thomas Ramos and Dorian Aldegheri along with La Rochelle back-rower Gregory Alldritt and Montpellier lock Paul Willemse the other new faces in the French camp.
While Brunel must reckon with the loss of Thomas – injured in Racing’s Top 14 win over Toulon last weekend – along with Yoann Maestri, he is able to name Stade centre Gael Fickou, who returned from injury against Perpignan last weekend.
Fly-half Camille Lopez, who missed last year’s Six Nations through injury, also returns to the squad.
The callow element of the French selection is balanced with plenty of experienced internationals, including Louis Picamoles, Morgan Parra, and Mathieu Bastareaud.
The French squad will gather on 20 January ahead of their Six Nations opener against Wales on 1 February. They travel to Dublin to face Ireland on the penultimate weekend of the competition.
Here’s the squad in full.
Forwards: Jefferson Poirot (Bordeaux-Begles), Dany Priso (La Rochelle), Guilhem Guirado (Toulon), Pierre Bourgarit (La Rochelle), Julien Marchand (Toulouse), Uini Atonio (La Rochelle), Demba Bamba (Brive), Dorian Aldegheri (Toulouse); Félix Lambey (Lyon), Sébastien Vahaamahina (Clermont), Bernard Le Roux (Racing 92), Paul Willemse (Monpellier), Arthur Iturria (Clermont), Wenceslas Lauret (Racing 92), Yacouba Camara (Montpellier), Gregory Alldritt (La Rochelle), Louis Picamoles (Montpellier).
Backs: Morgan Parra (Clermont), Antoine Dupont (Toulouse), Baptiste Serin (Bordeaux-Begles), Camille Lopez (Clermont), Anthony Belleau (Toulon); Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Geoffrey Doumayrou (La Rochelle), Romain Ntamack (Toulouse); Gael Fickou (Paris), Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Damian Penaud (Clermont); Maxime Medard (Toulouse), Thomas Ramos (Toulouse)
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