La Rochelle full-back Brice Dulin and Toulon scrum-half Baptiste Serin have been “made available to their clubs” by the XV of France, the French Rugby Federation said on Wednesday, as the group to face the Australia will be announced Thursday noon.
A total of nine players have been released: Montpellier second lines Bastien Chalureau and Florian Verhaeghe, Lyon third lines Dylan Cretin and La Rochelle Yoan Tanga, Racing 92 pillar Thomas Laclayat and Lyon winger Ethan Dumortier therefore leave Capbreton (Landes), alongside Serin and Dulin. None of these players are on the list of 33 players called up for the World Cup.
With Sébastien Taofifenua (LOU), Demba Bamba (LOU) and Gaëtan Barlot (Castres), they are, however, all reservists and may be recalled in the event of injury. The XV of France is currently in training camp in Capbreton before facing Australia on Sunday at the Stade de France.
The Blues start the World Cup with a giant opening match against the All Blacks on September 8, before facing Uruguay (September 14) and Namibia (September 21) and finishing the group stage against the Italy (October 6).
