The staff has decided. 34 players have been selected to prepare for the next Tournament match against Italy. If Marko Gazzotti is one of the surprises on this list, Fabien Galthié has focused on continuity since the start of the competition. And the players forgotten after the World Cup are still not there.
But what could Sekou Macalou have done to disappear so much from the radar since the World Cup? The Stade Français third line was an important component of Fabien Galthié’s first mandate. Rarely a starter but always selected, he had his napkin ring in Marcoussis and his habits.
And despite his faults (who doesn’t have them?), the third row hardly disappointed with the blue jersey on his shoulders. His sensational entry into the winger position against South Africa during the November tour on the wing had made an impression and his versatility seemed to protect him from going off the road. Before the Tournament, the coach had justified the absence of the native of Sarcelles to prepare for Ireland: “These are just the laws of competition. In our eyes, it was important that Sekou Macalou could fight to participate in the last World Cup since he had been one of the important elements of the adventure which preceded the event. But for the players who are neck and neck, today there is room for emulation: in the third row, Esteban Abadie also challenges Sekou Macalou.”
It is therefore in the name of emulation that the Parisian lost his place. It must be said that his post-World Cup recovery was not really great, even if for several weeks the big Sekou (1.96 m and 110 kg) has gained momentum, as evidenced by his last match with Stade français on the Oyonnax lawn. He will have to do more to find the French team, and get past the new guys: Esteban Abadie and recently Marko Gazzotti, the incredible ease on the touch benefiting the first, the 19 springs and the talent for the second.
Meafou and Flament still too fair
We could also talk about Rochelais Yoan Tanga, pre-selected to play in the World Cup and since then forgotten from the French XV. A more logical choice given the season of very likely future Parisian, less impressive with La Rochelle than at the same period last year. In big Maritime matches, Tanga often found himself on the sidelines, Ronan O’Gara preferring Judicaël Cancoriet, Levani Botia and Paul Boudehent to accompany Grégory Alldritt.
In any case, this list of 34 is still orphaned by Thibaud Flament and Emmanuel Meafou. The two Toulouse residents have certainly resumed racing for more than two weeks, but still not collective training, at least at the start of the week. And like we revealed it to you, they are too fair to pretend to face the Nazionale on February 25 in Lille. Absences of weight, especially since the French team cannot count on its last two captains Grégory Alldritt and Antoine Dupont for the reasons that you know (big wound on the left knee for number 8, preparation for the Olympic Games for the scrum half).
Gibert passed Hastoy
Aside from the arrival of Marko Gazzotti, Fabien Galthié has kept the same men since the start of the competition. Thus, at the opening half position, behind the untouchable Matthieu Jalibert, Antoine Gibert retains his place as super sparring partner. This observation made, Antoine Hastoy is still absent from the France group, despite recent successful performances with his club La Rochelle. Lucide, the former Palois reconsidered his non-selection after the victory against Montpellier on the 14th day. “My absence from the Blues list? Of course it stung me. Obviously angry. So now I’m doing everything so that people can see that I can be there.”
In the meantime, it is the Racingman who benefits. At 26 years old, the man who started rugby at the age of 5 at the ACBB, has still not had his chance in Blue. Left out of the final group against Ireland, he did not apply for the trip to Scotland following an ankle problem. Time will tell if the flyhalf will have a chance to show himself in this Tournament after Jalibert’s contrasting start to the Tournament.