France-Italy: the XV of France with Danty and Macalou

What new faces.

We expected it inevitably but the composition of the XV of France has something to surprise those who were in front of their post during Scotland-France, last Sunday.

The team lined up on Saturday at the Stade de France against Italy (France 2, 9:10 p.m.) for the last match of the Autumn Nations Cup is the result of a compromise resulting from an agreement signed at the last minute between the Federation and the League representing professional clubs.

Result?

Five players with zero selection.

And Teddy Thomas (20 capes) and the returning Brice Dulin (29), absent for three years from international gatherings, which appear to be former.

Coach Fabien Galthié had to deal with political realities and send home the usual holders (Dupont, Ntamack, Alldritt) who had all gone after the three matches authorized by the agreement.

Only Teddy Thomas and Matthieu Jalibert are the survivors of the winning team in Edinburgh last week (15-22).

Captain Charles Ollivon gave his armband to Baptiste Serin.

The pair of centers Gaël Fickou and Virimi Vakatawa is replaced by the Parisian Jonathan Danty (3 selections) and the Clermontois Jean-Pascal Barraque (zero) who had so far only known the French rugby team. new faces to which we will have to get used to because they will be lined up again next week for the classification match, no doubt against England, in the event of victory over the Transalpines this Saturday.

A first line stamped Stade Toulousain

Among the novices who will be baptized by fire, in addition to Baraque mentioned above, we find winger Gabin Villière (Toulon), pillar Rodrigue Neti (Toulouse), second lines Killian Geraci (Lyon) and Baptiste Pesenti (Pau) .

The third line Sekou Macalou, untenable with Stade Français, would almost look like an old one with his only selection gleaned against Japan three years ago.

We finally expect the native of Sarcelles (Val-d'Oise), 25, that he expresses at the international level all his potential glimpsed in Top 14. And what better than the XV of Italy, known for his defensive largesse, to test themselves.

Regularly summoned with the Blues in preparation for the last Six Nations Tournament, Macalou had never been aligned by the staff.

History of winning in automatic melee, a very technical sector, the first row is stamped Stade Toulousain since Aldegheri, Mauvaka, Neti all come from the ranks of the champion of France 2019. The first two will experience their first tenure after three selections out of bench.

The starting XV

Dulin - Thomas, Baraque, Danty, Villière - (o) Jalibert, (m) Serin (cap.) - Macalou, Jelonch, Woki - Pesenti, Geraci - Aldegheri, Mauvaka, Neti