Fabien Galthié, the coach of the Blues, unveiled this afternoon in Marcoussis (Essonne) the list of 31 players called to play the six games scheduled for this fall.
Five new members join the group: pillar George-Henri Colombe (Racing 92), second row Killian Geraci (Lyon), center Selevasio Tolofua (Toulouse), winger Arthur Retière (La Rochelle) and center Olivier Klemenczak (Racing 92).
The main absent being Damian Penaud, the Clermont winger who suffered a sprained ankle and was away from the field for a period of six to eight weeks.
The others summoned formed the backbone of Galthié during the Six Nations Tournament last winter.
📣 Discover the list of players selected by @FGalthie and @ibanez_raphael!
🏴 The Blues will start their Autumn Tour with a preparation match against Wales before the end of @SixNations_FR and @ autumnnations! #NeFaisonsXV #XVdeFrance pic.twitter.com/b2l5aMrqd8
- France Rugby (@FranceRugby) October 7, 2020
A copious program awaits the Blues this fall, even if the South African world champions and the Australians will not come to challenge them in Saint-Denis because of the coronavirus pandemic.
First there will be the preparation match against the Welsh on Saturday 24 October at the Stade de France, the last day of the 2020 Six Nations Tournament against Ireland, a week later, on the 31st, also at the Stade de France, then four matches of the Autumn Nations Cup which will bring together eight nations divided into two pools.
The Habs will face Fiji on November 15 in Saint-Etienne;
Scotland, 22 at Murrayfield and Italy, 28 at Stade de France, in pools.
A classification match is scheduled for December 5 against an opponent from the other group: England, Wales, Ireland or Georgia.
Against the backdrop of the crisis between the FFR and the National League
"The first challenge is to finish the Tournament and possibly win it," said Raphaël Ibanez, manager of the XV of France.
The second is to be competitive in this new competition, the Autumn Nations Cup.
The third is to return to the Top 3 worldwide.
"Fabien Galthié continues:" We are only in our eighth week of work, we are preparing the fifth game in our history.
We want to find continuity but do not prevent ourselves from bringing new players into this adventure.
The arrivals of Klemenczak and Colombe respond to this desire.
"
This first list of the start of the second term of Bernard Laporte, narrowly reelected on Saturday as president of the French Federation, comes in a context plagued by the war waged by the FFR and the National League.
The clubs agree, in fact, to release their internationals for five matches
(Editor's note: the agreement signed between the two parties provides for three)
but not for six.
The conciliation meeting, this Wednesday morning, between the two bodies, did not yield anything, each camped on its positions.
If no agreement is found by Wednesday evening, the Council of State, seized by the LNR, will have to render its verdict in the coming days.
The 31 Blues.
Three-quarters:
Boutier, Ramos, Rattez, Thomas, Retière, Vakatawa, Vincent, Fickou, Klemenczak, N'Tamack, Jalibert, Dupont, Serin.
Forwards:
Ollivon (cap.), Cros, Woki, Cretin, Alldritt, S. Tolofua, Le Roux, Willemse, Geraci, R. Taofifenua, Chat, Marchand, Mauvaka, Baille, Gros, Bamba, Colombe, Haouas.
