It was one of the highly anticipated moments of the pre-World Cup. This Wednesday, September 6, at noon, the coach of the XV of France rugby Fabien Galthié unveiled his first starting XV of the World Cup. He listed the names of the French who will face the formidable New Zealand All-Blacks, this Friday, September 8 at the Stade de France in the opening match.
Fabien Galthié on the absence of Jonathan Danty
“He would have liked to start this match but it turns out that we made a decision not to start this match because in this competition there are already four group matches, four elimination matches and this team which is starting will move. can’t stop at 15 players, it’s a group of 33 players. We have to be able to adapt with an agile team. Yoram (Moefana, editor’s note) has a lot of experience, we’ve worked a lot of formulas during our preparation. We have to be able to adapt. It’s our best team that you have in front of you.”
Here is the composition of the XV of France against the All Blacks
Ramos – Penaud, Fickou, Moefana, Villière – (o) Jalibert, (m) Dupont (cap.) – Ollivon, Alldritt, Cros – Flament, Woki – Atonio, Marchand, Wardi
Replacements: Mauvaka, Gros, Aldegheri, Taofifenua, Boudehent, Lucu, Vincent, Jaminet
The immense challenge awaiting the Blues
The XV of France will therefore challenge New Zealand at the opening of the World Cup. It’s a big challenge that awaits the Blues because the All Blacks have never lost in their history in the group stage of a World Cup. The 23 French people present on the ground on Friday will try to put an end to this incredible series.
Dupont-Jalibert at the hinge
Scrum half Antoine Dupont, captain of the XV of France, should form the French hinge with Bordeaux opening half Matthieu Jalibert, following the serious injury of Romain Ntamack. Barring a last-minute surprise from Fabien Galthié, the two men will be teaming up for the eighth time in the Blue jersey. The latest being the victory against Australia, in preparation, on August 27th.
What replacements?
Fabien Galthié and his staff should opt for a now traditional 6+2 bench, that is to say a bench with six forwards and two three-quarters. Jean-Baptiste Gros, Peato Mauvaka, Sipili Falatea, Romain Taofifenua, Sekou Macalou and Paul Boudehent should be the six forwards on the bench. For the three-quarters, Maxime Lucu has an almost certain place but the question remains for the last three-quarters. Jonathan Danty, if he is not a starter, Melvyn Jaminet, Antoine Hastoy or even Louis Bielle-Biarrey claim with different profiles.
Tuesday’s high-intensity workout
Yesterday, the Blues carried out high-intensity training in their base camp in Rueil-Malmaison, on the eve of the revelation of the starting XV to challenge the All Blacks. Check out some pictures from the session below.
Wardi, 3rd tenure?
In the absence of Cyril Baille, the left pillar Reda Wardi should also settle in the starting XV and should live his third tenure in ten selections, his first since the victory against Fiji. The Rochelais seems to have doubled in the hierarchy the Toulonnais Jean-Baptiste Gros.
Woki and Flament in the cage
Yesterday’s training also revealed that the starters on the second row, in the absence of Paul Willemse, also injured, should be Toulouse’s Thibault Flament and racingman Cameron Woki.
Danty replaced by Moefana?
The main uncertainty concerns the presence of center Jonathan Danty, injured in the hamstrings during the preparation match against Australia. Yesterday during a “high intensity” training, the game of the chasubles made it possible to glimpse who will probably start on Friday: it is the player of the UBB Yoram Moefana who should start as the first center against Nova Scotia. Zeeland.
Yoram Moefana (left), Jonathan Danty (centre) and Damian Penaud, here last February during training in Marcoussis.
Hello and welcome to this live!
At 12 p.m. this Wednesday, the coach of the Blues Fabien Galthié must reveal the composition of the XV of France which will face the All Blacks on Friday at 9 p.m. at the opening of the Rugby World Cup.