Rugby World Cup 2023 / French XV – Danty back, Bielle-Biarrey starting to face Namibia?
To face Namibia on Thursday evening in Marseille, the staff of the XV of France seem to have chosen to put their “premium” team back in the saddle. This is what transpired during training this Sunday morning.
They should be back. After changing twelve of the fifteen holders (only Woki, Moefana and Villière had doubled after the match against New Zealand) to face Uruguay last Thursday in Lille, coach Fabien Galthié and his staff seem to have decided in favor of a massive return of “premium” players, which was not their initial intention. During training this Sunday morning on the lawn of the Rueil-Malmaison stadium, the winners of the opening match against the Blacks donned the blue jerseys of the holders. Thus, Antoine Dupont and Matthieu Jalibert were associated with the hinge, Cameron Woki and Thibaud Flament in the second row, Thomas Ramos aligned at the back.
Cyril Baille present
In turn, the Blues, then the Whites, worked on game launches against the defense of the Stade Français hopefuls, led by former hooker Rémi Bonfils and Boris Bouhraoua. Few rotations were made between the “blues” and the “whites”. So, even if he wasn’t wearing the number one pinafore, Cyril Baille, absent since the preparation match against Scotland on August 12 in Saint-Étienne, participated in the entire session in blue, simply alternating for a few moments with Reda Wardi. The Toulouse player could therefore make his comeback in the French first line with Peato Mauvaka and Uini Atonio. In the third row, Anthony Jelonch, after his “comeback” against Uruguay, should continue to accumulate playing time at the heart of a third row which would then look great with Grégory Alldritt and Charles Ollivon.
As for the three-quarter center position, there is no longer any doubt that Jonathan Danty will play his first match in the competition. The Rochelais, victim of a muscle injury during the last preparation match against Australia (August 27), had missed the first two matches. This time he will be associated with Gaël Fickou. Finally, at the winger position, the trend is confirmed regarding Gabin Villière. Deemed disappointing during the first two rounds of the World Cup, he should be beaten by Louis Bielle-Biarrey. Coach Fabien Galthié will announce the composition of his team on Tuesday in Aix-en-Provence, where the French XV squad will take up residence this Sunday at the end of the day.
La composition probable
15. Ramos; 14. Penaud, 13. Fickou, 12. Danty, 11. Bielle-Biarrey; 10. Jalibert, 9. Dupont; 7. Ollivon, 8. Alldritt, 6. Jelonch; 5. Flament, 4. Woki; 3. Atonio, 2. Mauvaka, 1. Baille or Wardi.
