There are those we’ve been waiting for. Like the Toulouse champions of France in title, Antoine Dupont, Romain N’Tamack, Thomas Ramos, François Cros or Peato Mauvaka. Without forgetting the European champion and third row from La Rochelle Grégory Alldritt and the Toulonnais Charles Ollivon, 30, author of 12 tries (60 points) in the French jersey. The majority of players from the 2022 and 2023 Six Nations tournament are called up. We thus find the center of Racing 92, Gaël Fickou – two World Cups to his credit (2015 and 2019) –, the Bordelais Maxime Lucu and the Toulouse Julien Marchand, to name a few.
The Rochelais Reda Wardi, the experienced Jean-Baptiste Gros (RCT and 21 selections), Demba Bamba from LOU, Dorian Aldegheri (Toulouse) and Thomas Laclayat (Oyonnax) are added to the first line alongside the pillars executives Uini Atonio and Cyrille Baille.
Then there are those who are doing well after a good season in the league. This is the case of Stade Rochelais back Brice Dulin (36 caps) and Toulon scrum-half Baptiste Serin (42 caps). As a reminder, the two rugby players played their last match with France in 2021 against Scotland in the Six Nations tournament. Serin finds himself at his post with Dupont, Couilloud and Lucu. As for Dulin, 33, he is alongside Ramos and Jaminet.
To remember, the presence of Arthur Vincent (14 selections): the champion of France with Montpellier in 2022 is making his comeback with the Blues, from which he has been away for two years. Seriously injured in the left knee in August 2021, then last September, the Héraultais was able to seduce the staff with his steely mind. “He’s a fighter”, launched Fabien Galthié to justify his presence in the list of 23 players summoned to Marcoussis in early June for a first training camp.
If the average age of the group is 26, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 19, is the youngest on the list. The UBB wing-back shone in the 2023 U20 Six Nations where he was able to show off his effective kicking and speed. Fabien Galthié is also betting on Émilien Gailleton, 20 next month, center-winger of the Pau Section, the nugget of Béarn, top try scorer for the 2022-23 season in the Top 14 with 13 tries on the clock. These two hopefuls of French rugby, 0 selection and versatile, caught the eye of the staff of the XV of France.
Not retained for the moment, the Toulouse second line Emmanuel Meafou. Injured in the foot, during the final of the Top 14 against La Rochelle, he is absent for two months. The Australian is also awaiting the response from World Rugby on his eligibility to play with the XV of France. Anthony Jelonch, Yacouba Camara and Sipili Falatea, still injured, are not summoned.
And now ? Time for preparation, during which the selected players will have to confirm their status. For this, the Blues will have the opportunity to face Scotland twice in August, Fiji and Australia. It is before this match against the Wallabies that Fabien Galthié will announce, on August 21, the 33 players who will participate in the World Cup. The same who will then have their sights set on the September 8 opening match against the All Blacks at the Stade de France.
Full list Left pillars: Cyril Baille (Toulouse), Jean-Baptiste Gros (Toulon), Reda Wardi (La Rochelle). Hookers: Pierre Bourgarit (La Rochelle), Julien Marchand (Toulouse), Peato Mauvaka (Toulouse). Right pillars: Uini Atonio (La Rochelle), Dorian Aldegheri (Toulouse), Thomas Laclayat (Oyonnax, future Racing), Demba Bamba (Lyon).Second lines: Bastien Chalureau (Montpellier), Thibaut Flament (Toulouse), Romain Taofifenua (Lyon), Paul Willemse (Montpellier), Cameron Woki (Racing), Florian Verhaeghe (Montpellier).Third lines: Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle), Paul Boudehent (La Rochelle), François Cros (Toulouse), Sekou Macalou (French Stadium), Charles Ollivon ( Toulon), Yoan Tanga (La Rochelle), Dylan Cretin (Lyon). Scrum-half: Antoine Dupont (Toulouse), Maxime Lucu (Bordeaux-Bègles), Baptiste Couilloud (Lyon), Baptiste Serin (Toulon). Centers: Jonathan Danty (La Rochelle), Gaël Fickou (Racing), Yoram Moefana (Bordeaux-Bègles), Emilien Gailleton (Pau) , Arthur Vincent (Montpellier). Wingers: Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Bordeaux-Bègles), Ethan Dumortier (Lyon), Damian Penaud (Clermont, future Bordeaux-Bègles), Gabin Villière (Toulon). Full-backs: Brice Dulin (La Rochelle) , Melvyn Jaminet (Toulouse), Thomas Ramos (Toulouse).