France name squad for opening Nations Championship encounter
Rugby Union – Six Nations Championship – France v England – Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France – March 14, 2026 France’s Antoine Dupont celebrates with the Six Nations trophy with teammates after winning the Championship REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
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PARIS, June 23 : France named 33 players on Tuesday for their opening Nations Championship fixture against New Zealand but are expected to strengthen the squad after this weekend’s Top 14 final.
Coach Fabien Galthie trimmed his squad from 39 players who had been at a training camp, ahead of Tuesday’s departure for Australia.
He left nine places available for players from Montpellier and Toulouse to join after they play on Saturday, including first-choice halfback Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack.
Winger Damian Penaud returns to the squad after missing out on the Six Nations tournament, while there are seven uncapped players including Australia-born lock Tom Staniforth and Olympic sevens gold medallist Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang.
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France will be based in Brisbane as they prepare for their first fixture in the new competition against New Zealand in Christchurch on July 4, followed by Australia in Brisbane on July 11 and Japan in Tokyo on July 18.
Squad
Backs: Theo Attissogbe, Fabien Brau-Boirie (both Pau), Nicolas Depoortere (Bordeaux-Begles), Mathis Ferte (Toulon), Theo Forner (Perpignan), Emilien Gailleton, Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang (both Pau), Antoine Hastoy (La Rochelle), Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux-Begles), Nolann Le Garrec (La Rochelle), Maxime Lucu, Yoram Moefana, Damian Penaud (all Bordeaux-Begles), Max Spring (Racing 92)
Forwards: Moses Alo-Emile (Stade Francais), Hugo Auradou (Pau), Demba Bamba (Racing 92), Pierre Bochaton (Bordeaux-Begles), Esteban Capilla (Bayonne), Sipili Falatea, Marko Gazzotti (both Bordeaux-Begles), Mickael Guillard (Lyon), Oscar Jegou (La Rochelle), Maxime Lamothe (Bordeaux-Begles), Barnabé Massa (Clermont), Temo Matiu (Bordeaux-Begles), Regis Montagne (Clermont), Boris Palu, Jefferson Poirot (both Bordeaux-Begles), Tom Staniforth (Castres), Tevita Tatafu (Bayonne), Killian Tixeront (Clermont), Reda Wardi (La Rochelle).
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Atlanta; Editing by Clare Fallon)
Source: Reuters
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