From the top of his 27 selections, Teddy Thomas looks like an old man. The Racing 92 winger, defeated Friday by La Rochelle in the semi-final of the Top 14, is the most capped player of the XV of France for this summer tour in Australia. The 27-year-old will be reunited with his friends from Clermont Damian Penaud and Alivereti Raka on the wing, as well as MHR full-back and center, Anthony Bouthier and Arthur Vincent, other regulars in the selection. Gabin Villière, currently in an Olympic qualifying tournament with the French team at 7, will also be part of the trip. Executives like Baptiste Serin or Gaël Fickou, both injured in the shoulder, are forfeited.
In the forwards, besides Anthony Jelonch, appointed captain for this tour, Dylan Cretin, Romain Taoffifenua and Demba Ba, the rest of the troop will be inexperienced.
The third line of Castres will take on the role of leader in the absence of the usual captain Charles Ollivon, victim of a rupture of the cruciate ligament of the left knee in early June with the RCT.
Of the 37 players called to prepare for the VI Nations tournament last January, only 11 names are also starting for Australia (Geraci, Taoffifenua, Pesenti, Jelonch, Couilloud, Carbonel, Vincent, Penaud, Thomas, Villière, Bouthier).
Joris Segonds (Stade Français), Teddy Iribaren and Ibrahim Diallo (Racing 92) are among the newcomers summoned by Fabien Galthié and his staff. On the Ile-de-France side, we can also note the presence of Sekou Macalou and Jonathan Danty, whose last capes in selection date back to December 2020 during the lost final of the Autumn Nations Cup against England (22-19). Junior world champion 2018 with Ntamack, Carbonel, Bamba and others, Pierre-Henri Azagoh (Stade Français) also joins the list. The slew of Toulouse internationals, in the Top 14 final next Friday against La Rochelle, has logically not been called for this tour.
The Blues will therefore face the Wallabies three times, seven years after their last tour in Australia.
Players will challenge each other in Sydney (July 7), Melbourne (July 13) and Brisbane (July 17).
Last year, the traditional tour of the XV of France in the southern hemisphere, which was to be held in Argentina, was canceled due to the health context.
In Australia, the XV of France will have to respect a fortnight upon arrival.
Australia, which released a list of 38 players on June 13, started their training camp a week ago.
The #XVdeFrance staff unveiled the list of 42 players selected for the 3 matches against @wallabies! #AUSFRA #NeFaisonsXV pic.twitter.com/qh2tBlRYrB
- France Rugby (@FranceRugby) June 20, 2021