The French Rugby Federation and the National Rugby League recently signed a new agreement concerning the release of internationals during international windows. In particular, it is planned that six of the 34 players initially called up will be released this Wednesday to return to their club and to participate in the 13th day of the Top 14 which will take place Friday and Saturday.
To compensate for their absences, the French staff can call on six other players – from different clubs and who do not play, in principle, in the four providing the most internationals (Toulouse, Bordeaux-Bègles, La Rochelle and the Racing 92) – to be training partners on Thursday within the France group.
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“As far as possible, the FFR will ensure a rotation between the players requested for the three Thursdays of these 3 weeks,” specifies the new agreement. Because it was planned that the Blues staff would do this this week, but also those of February 19 (preparation for the match against Italy in Lille scheduled for Sunday, February 25) and March 4 (before the trip to Wales scheduled for Sunday March 10).
This Wednesday, the FFR revealed the names of the six players summoned by the initial list who will leave the CNR of Marcoussis. These are third lines Esteban Abadie (Toulon) and Alexandre Roumat (Toulouse), hooker Gaëtan Barlot (Castres), second line Matthias Halagahu (Toulon), center Émilien Gailleton (Pau) and fullback Melvyn Jaminet (Toulon).
To compensate for these departures and continue to train, Fabien Galthié and his staff called on five young players with high potential this Wednesday, who are on the verge of the France team. Among them, we find three players who were crowned world champions last summer with the French under-20 team: the powerful second row Posolo Tuilagi (19 years old, Perpignan), whose name had filtered into the daily L’Indépendant, the third row and former U20 captain Lenni Nouchi (20 years old, Montpellier) and the winger or fullback Théo Attissogbé (19 years old, Section Paloise).
The third row Maxime Baudonne (20 years old, Racing 92), former U20 international but not world champion, is one of those called up. Also note the call-up of flyhalf or fullback Léo Barré (21 years old, Stade Français), particularly prominent at the start of the season with the Parisian club.
The Blues’ program in the Tournament: France-Ireland: Friday February 2 (9 p.m.) at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille. Scotland-France: Saturday February 10 (3:15 p.m.) at Murrayfield (Edinburgh). France-Italy: Sunday February 25 (4 p.m.) at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille. Wales-France: Sunday March 10 (4 p.m.) at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. France-England: Saturday March 16 (9 p.m.) at the Groupama Stadium in Lyon.
