LEINSTER PROP RABAH Slimani has been named in France’s 42-man squad for the Six Nations.
Slimani played the last of his 57 Tests in 2019, and is a standout return for Les Bleus.
Joshua Brennan, son of former Ireland international Trevor, is among the uncapped players. The 23-year-old Toulouse lock was born in Ireland before coming through the ranks in French rugby.
Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, who were investigated for rape in Argentina before the case was dismissed last month, were both named in the squad.
In December, the case against the pair, both 21, was dropped after the two forwards had been accused of rape in July after France had played Los Pumas on tour.
La Rochelle flanker Jegou and Pau lock Auradou insisted they had consensual sex with a 39-year-old woman after a night of drinking following their Test debuts.
France coach Fabien Galthie insisted this week that “the case was dropped which is clear and obvious. From the moment the case was dropped, we consider them innocent”.
“From the moment when a case is dropped, after a coherent procedure, they can be selected,” the former France captain added.
However, the case is not yet laid to rest as the complainant’s lawyer Natacha Romano has appealed the case’s dismissal with a hearing set for February 10-11 which comes in the middle of the Six Nations.
There is also a return, after 17 months on the sidelines with injuries, of Toulouse fly-half Romain Ntamack.
The 25-year-old, who has won 37 France caps, has in that time missed out on the 2023 World Cup and last year’s Six Nations with a serious knee injury while a calf injury resulted in him missing the November internationals.
Galthie has been forced into springing some selection surprises owing to the absence of a raft of experienced players such as Gael Fickou, Charles Ollivon and Reda Wardi.
There are call-ups for Noah Nene, who plays centre for Dax in the second division ProD2 and Toulon lock Matthias Halagahu. Other uncapped players named in the squad include Perpignan prop Giorgi Beria, Bordeaux-Begles hooker Maxime Lamothe and Toulon winger Gael Drean.
France open their Six Nations campaign at home against Wales on 31 January. There follow three away trips, against England on 8 February, Italy on 23 February and two-time defending champions Ireland on 8 March.
The French wrap up their championship against Scotland at the Stade de France on 15 March.
France squad
Prop (8): Dorian Aldegheri, Uini Atonio, Cyril Baille, Giorgi Beria, Georges-Henri Colombe, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Rabah Slimani, Dany Priso
Hooker (3): Maxime Lamothe, Julien Marchand, Peato Mauvaka
Second row (6): Hugo Auradou, Joshua Brennan, Thibaud Flament, Matthias Halagahu, Emmanuel Meafou, Romain Taofifenua
Back row (7): Esteban Abadie, Gregory Alldritt, Paul Boudehent, Francois Cros, Marko Gazzotti, Oscar Jegou, Anthony Jelonch
Scrum-half (3): Antoine Dupont, Nolann Le Garrec, Maxime Lucu
Fly-half (2): Matthieu Jalibert, Romain Ntamack
Winger (5): Theo Attissogbe, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Gael Drean, Damian Penaud, Gabin Villiere
Centre (6): Pierre-Louis Barassi, Nicolas Depoortere, Antoine Frisch, Emilien Gailleton, Yoram Moefana, Noah Nene.
Slimani will no doubt help with analysis of the Leinster- Irish players particularly in the scrum and lineout. Smart by Galthie IMO
@Michael Corkery: not really hard to dissect the irish scrum. just tell the TH prop to survive the initial hit from porter, then porter will dig himself a hole and subsequent penalty concession after. no harm before the first scrum in highlighting to the referee or touch judge to keep an eye on his bind and make sure he is scrummaging square.
@Niall English: Thanks for that bracing insight
@Niall English: ok sherlock
@Niall English: hahaha funny and kinda true
@Niall English: and what about the Munster props contribution to Irish rugby over the last decade? Oh yeah less than zero. ‘Killer’ doesn’t even count at this stage. Hasn’t added anything to Irish squads in 2+ years
@adizlack93: Why bring Munster into this? Obsessed much…
@adizlack93: this does not mean I don’t think he’s top class in other facets of the game, he’s great in defence, ball carrying etc, just scrummaging at LH is not a strong point and his discipline could be improved a tad I.e. eradicate the brain dead penalties.
If only Ireland just capped Antoine Frisch when we had the chance….would have been a useful player to have access to!
@Andrew: actually don’t think he’d have got near Irish team on merit and his heart wasn’t really in it. Right decision not to cap him although it was bad for Munster
@Andrew: really? We’re already over loaded in the centre with players better than him.
@anthony davoren: we could really have done with Joshua Brennan though
@anthony davoren: most of them are inside centers. Ringrose is the only one playing regularly at outside center.
@Andrew: we have 4 top class centres and frisch didn’t want to play for Ireland just like Joshua brennan.
@Andrew: miles behind henshaw aki ringrose
@Michael Corkery: Me either but the French thought he was good enough! would have kept a very useful player here. They have two lads fro that Chris Farell case in the squad too I believe.
@Thesaltyurchin: 2 lads in the squad were accused of rape in Argentina last year. Are you thinking of that? The case was dropped, but an appeal is pending. I think it might have been the right thing to wait until the process is completed.
Any other nation in world baptiste serin would have 80 plus caps
@Gary Galligan: hilarious he cant make the squad, if he were irish i think he might edge out JGP
@Owen ODonoghue: wouldn’t go that far lol
With all 3 THs in international squads, looks like Leinster will need to borrow a couple from other Provinces. Hopefully that shouldn’t be a problem
@Kevin Ryan: Hahahahaha. Other provinces happy to “borrow” from Leinster, so surely they will. Big opps for McGuire and Sparrow perhaps. Unless TC gets released from camp to play if O’Toole is called up for example.
@Kevin Ryan: we’ll take Wilson from Ulster and Jager from Munster to see us through
@Kevin Ryan: We might need to borrow an entire front row as all 9 are called up for international duty.
The old way of picking the squad was way less controversial you were picked on the basis of what Mulqueen, Doyler and Neddy van Esbeck wrote about you and whether you could manage the obligatory 20 pints around ballsbridge the Thursday before the match.
Is there any irish fans who support ireland bloody hell negitiveity is all i see
@Shanie: ah cmon now, we’ve already seen with the Fri night games on during November that the irfu is really only interested in Dublin & the pale. Shur ye lads can shout for ‘ireland’
@munsterman: I feel sorry for people like you, you’ve done everything you can to make it impossible to enjoy a sport you’re supposed to like by making it political.
@PJ Smith: here here
Everyone overrated the french
What’s the story with Cameron Woki?
@Carmine Lorenzo: and baptiste serin
@Carmine Lorenzo: Way too much quality to go around, simple as that really.
@Gary Galligan: Meanwhile, on le42.fr, où est Nick Timoney?
@Gary Galligan: yeah serin is quality
@Ray Ridge: Perhaps that’s true alright. Woki, Willemse and Tuilagi missing.. and that is just from the row! Lebel and Rattez on the wing. Dumortier was another back who looked pretty good but not sure if he’s been called up in a while. Then you have lads injured. It’s astonishing depth of quality really.
@Carmine Lorenzo: Macalou another backrow of quality. No Dante in the centre either. Think he’s injured. Astonishing depth when you think about it.
@Justin Robinson: underrated comment.
@Ray Ridge: Yeah Macalou forgot about him, he’s quality. Was in their first choice 23 at the world cup and now can’t make the squad.
@Carmine Lorenzo: He’s a thug and a liability.
I would say it’s hard to believe that Hugh cooney is given more of an opportunity for Ireland than French international antoine frisch but really who would I be kidding
@munsterman: Not sure that you are willing to listen to this but the situation is completely different. AF had his centres pretty much nailed down before the WC and it would have taken something spectacular from anyone else to break their way into the squad. Some might say we needed a 13 but that’s not how AF saw it. Frisch’s age means that it would be a little bit harder for him to break his way into the team in this WC cycle than what it would be for, say a 21 year old promising up and coming centre. Frisch came along at the wrong time. Simple as that
@munsterman: Hot take – Hugh Cooney is an academy player, not a senior player like Frisch. Furthermore, he’s not in the outright squad he’s there for development purposes. See point 1 above. Lastly, and whisper it quietly, maybe they think he could be a better player than Frisch eventually? I know that might be hard to take but we’re here for you <3
@Carmine Lorenzo: if it was Hugh gavin I could understand it but Hugh cooney? Look.from the bit I’ve seen of him he looks a handy player like a lot of those polished kids that come out of the schools system in Dublin but when it comes to replacing ringrose, leinster will sign an niq before they’ll trust Hugh cooney
@munsterman: You do remember that AF was called up for the 2022 Emerging Ireland tour? Maybe he didn’t impress. It’s also possible that he is happier being in the squad for his actual country, rather than being locked out by a token Irish cap to keep him at Munster.
That said, I’m really surprised to see Cooney called up. I know it’s only as a Development player; but he’s hardly played at all for Leinster and, although he was called up for the 2024 EI tour, I don’t remember him having a major impact
@munsterman: Is Hugh Gavin injured? Haven’t heard much of him since he joined Connacht. Should really have joined Munster as he has great potential.
@Con Cussed: yes injured
@Con Cussed: why would he leave Connacht for Munster? He has been and is currently injured. Besides Munster have had a NIQ centre for nearly 25 years, Gavin would be up against it if he went there! Connacht is absolutely the right place for him to ply his trade in the academy.
@munsterman: Cooney really impressed on the EIntour all things told. I’d agree with you re Hugh Gavin but unfortunately he is injured and has been since November
@munsterman: Frisch was selected as a panelist and development squad just like Cooney, so actually your statement is 100% false. Frisch didn’t take his chance and has been persuaded that his future lies in France. For me he gave up too quickly and we don’t want or need players who are not willing to fight. McCloskey deserved his spot ahead of Frisch because he was willing to fight for it and eventually got it – 4 years later!!
@Paul Ennis: For the sake of keeping these players here, himself and Klien should have been run out, it was a miss no question, I don’t think either would be picked ahead of Ringrose or McCarthy but they would have been useful all the same. French dont have a problem doing it.