France’s head coach, Fabien Galthié, has unveiled his starting lineup for the upcoming clash against Uruguay, with Anthony Jelonch making a triumphant return as the team’s captain after recovering from a knee injury sustained in late February. The match, set to take place in Lille as part of Pool A, promises to be an exciting encounter this Thursday.
Starting XV:
- Jean-Baptiste Gros
- Pierre Bourgarit
- Dorian Aldegheri
- Cameron Woki
- Romain Taofifenua
- Paul Boudehent
- Sekou Macalou
- Anthony Jelonch (Captain)
- Maxime Lucu
- Antoine Hastoy
- Gabin Villière
- Yoram Moefana
- Arthur Vincent
- Louis Bielle-Biarrey
- Melvyn Jaminet
Replacements:
- Peato Mauvaka
- Reda Wardi
- Sipili Falatea
- Bastien Chalureau
- Thibaud Flament
- Francois Cros
- Baptiste Couilloud
- Thomas Ramos
Galthié has introduced a significant overhaul, making 12 changes to his starting lineup from the team that secured a memorable victory over New Zealand in the opening match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Remarkably, only Cameron Woki, Gabin Villiere, and Yoram Moefana have retained their starting positions.
It’s worth noting that there are no surviving members in the match-day 23 from the last French team that graced the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in 2018 against Argentina.
The appointment of Anthony Jelonch as captain marks a momentous occasion, as it’s his first time leading the side since the 2021 tour of Australia.
Antoine Hastoy is set to make only his third start in his fifth career test after making his debut against Australia in 2021. He has yet to score points for Les Bleus and will be eager to make an impact on the scoreboard.
Thomas Ramos has been a consistent point scorer, notching up 14 points or more in each of his past 11 tests dating back to November 2022 against Australia. In 2023, he maintained an average of 17 points per game and has displayed remarkable accuracy, missing no more than two kicks at goal in a test this season.
Fabien Galthié’s impressive coaching record continues to shine, with 21 wins out of 22 tests in France, surpassing his achievements as a player, where he secured 20 wins out of 33 tests played on home soil.
