XV of France: the first tracks of the composition against Fiji

It’s officially time for the second part of the Nations Championship. This Tuesday, in Marcoussis, the “survivors” selected by Fabien Galthié took part in their first high-intensity training session. With some lessons and a lot of uncertainty, the four Rochelais and the nine Bordelais, competing in the Top 14 on Sunday evening, being exempt from the long 90-minute session. They witnessed, from the sidelines, the great debut of Geoffrey Doumayrou as new defense coach and, above all, heard the numerous rants of a very involved Fabien Galthié and regularly unhappy with the placement of his players (“Get out of the way! Get out of the way!”, he repeated on numerous occasions…).

Without Alldritt and Jegou, Bielle-Biarrey and Depoortere, Woki and Lamothe, among others, the supposed composition of the starters against the Fijians on Saturday November 7 in Lyon obviously contains some uncertainties. But a first framework is emerging, notably in the second row where the Lyonnais Mickaël Guillard was associated with the Palois Hugo Auradou. But Paul Boudehent or Cameron Woki can reshuffle the cards. Just like Montpellier Tyler Duguid, repositioned in… number 8 in the absence of Grégory Alldritt.

For the position of right pillar, overwhelmed by the forfeits (Montagne, Bamba, Aldegheri, Sorin...), the three applicants took turns, without being able to predict who of Falatea, Tatafu or Laclayat will start against the island players. Surprise at the hooker position. Maxime Lamothe exempted, it was the neo-Bayonnais Guillaume Cramont who played with the number 2 chasuble, the Toulouse Peato Mauvaka having taken his place in the yellow team.

Behind, the Dupont-Ntamack hinge was, unsurprisingly, in charge. In front of a pair of Moefana-Gourgues centers. But, here again, Depoortere can come back into the game. On the wings, Damian Penaud replaced Louis Bielle-Barrey when the Palois Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, great satisfaction from the July tests, wore number 14. His teammate from the Section, Théo Attissogbe was lined up at the back. As expected after the packages of Thomas Ramos and Matthieu Jalibert.

Pending the integration, this Wednesday, of the 13 players exempt from this first session, the (very) provisional composition was therefore as follows: 15 Attissogbe - 14 Grandidier-Nkanang, 13. Gourgues, 12. Moefana, 11. Penaud – 10. Ntamack, 9 Dupont – 8. Duguid, 7. Capilla, 6. Cros – 5. Guillard, 4. Auradou – 3. Falatea, then Tatafu, then Laclayat – 2. Cramont, 1. Gros.