Six months after his operation on the cruciate ligament of his left knee, Anthony Jelonch, third row of the French XV, will make his return to the field during the Blues’ second match in the World Cup, Thursday September 14, in Lille (21 hours on TF1), against Uruguay.
The Stade Toulouse player was even named captain of a largely overhauled French team, a week after a successful start against the All Blacks at the Stade de France (27-13). At 27, he will form the third line alongside versatile Stade Français flanker Sekou Macalou and Rochelais Paul Boudehent.
As expected, coach Fabien Galthié chose to rotate his squad. Its composition, announced Tuesday from the Hôtel des Bleus, in Marcq-en-Baroeul (North), presents numerous changes compared to the starting list against New Zealand. Indeed, only three players who took part in the kick-off of the opening match retain their starting place: Bordeaux-Bègles (UBB) center Yoram Moefana, Toulon winger Gabin Villière and the second line of Racing 92 Cameron Woki.
Bastien Chalureau replacing
Facing Uruguay, the 17th nation in the world, most of the executives were therefore spared, such as captain and scrum half Antoine Dupont, the essential third line center Grégory Alldritt or even the prolific winger Damian Penaud. In the second row, Cameron Woki will be associated with Lyonnais Romain Taofifenua while up front, Toulon pillars Jean-Baptiste Gros and Toulouse Dorian Aldegheri will accompany La Rochelle hooker Pierre Bourgarit.
Toulouse’s Melvyn Jaminet will replace Thomas Ramos at the back and young UBB winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey will be associated with Gabin Villière on the other wing. The hinge will be made up of La Rochelle fly-half Antoine Hastoy and Bordeaux scrum-half Maxime Lucu. Finally, a small event on the replacement side since Fabien Galthié called on Bastien Chalureau, whose selection had been greatly criticized. The second line from Montpellier, at the heart of a controversy linked to a conviction at first instance for racist violence dating back to 2020 (he appealed), will make his first appearance on the bench.
Melvyn Jaminet – Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Arthur Vincent, Yoram Moefana, Gabin Villière – (o) Antoine Hastoy, (m) Maxime Lucu – Sekou Macalou, Anthony Jelonch (cap.), Paul Boudehent – ??Romain Taofifenua, Cameron Woki – Dorian Aldegheri , Pierre Bourgarit, Jean-Baptiste Gros.
Peato Mauvaka, Reda Wardi, Sipil Falatea, Bastien Chalureau, Thibaud Flament, François Cros, Baptiste Couilloud, Thomas Ramos.