'Bordering on annoying': Galthie responds to reports on Dupont
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: France head coach Fabien Galthie said on Tuesday reports about Antoine Dupont’s participation in the Nations Championship was “bordering on annoying” after he named a preliminary squad for the three Tests in July.
Galthie has announced a 33-man set-up for games against New Zealand, Australia and Japan with superstar Dupont set to be one of nine extra faces added after this Saturday’s Top 14 Final, according to newspaper L’Equipe.
Following an agreement with the French Rugby Federation and the Top 14’s governing body, the Ligue Nationale de Rugby, Galthie will be allowed to pick the additional players from this weekend’s decider between Dupont’s Toulouse and Montpellier at the Stade de France.
However, they will be missing from Les Bleus’ campaign-opener with the All Blacks in Christchurch just one week later.
Some players, such as fullback Thomas Ramos, have not been considered for the Nations Championship having featured in too many games this season.
With Clermont’s Baptiste Jauneau dropping out of the squad, there are now only two scrumhalves included – tour captain Maxime Lucu and Nolann Le Garrec – which leaves room for Dupont to slot in.
“Let’s talk about the team leaving firstly,” Galthie told reporters.
“It’s bordering on annoying,” he added.
Lucu’s Bordeaux-Begles teammate Damian Penaud, who is France’s record try-scorer, is also included in the squad, having been left out for the whole of this year’s successful Six Nations campaign.
There are seven uncapped players involved, including Olympic gold medallists Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang and Theo Forner, Australia-born prop Moses Alo-Emile as well as lock Tom Staniforth, who grew up in Canberra.
“We’re giving ourselves the right to be ambitious,” said Galthie. “We’re giving ourselves the right to dream.”
France fly to Brisbane late on Tuesday. They face New Zealand on July 4 before taking on the Wallabies in Brisbane a week later and Japan in Tokyo on July 18.
France squad:
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