Controversial selection for French opener
Team announcement: Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou, who were investigated over rape claims last year before they were dismissed, will start on the bench for France’s Six Nations opener against Wales, coach Fabien Galthie said on Wednesday.
In December, the case in Argentina against the 21-year-old forwards was dropped, but the complainant’s lawyer has appealed with a hearing set for February 10-11.
Jegou returned to the field in November with club La Rochelle and Auradou was back with Pau in October.
The pair are given their chances for Friday’s game at the Stade de France due to injuries with flanker Charles Ollivon out until the end of the season and lock Thibaud Flament suffering from a muscular issue.
Elsewhere in Galthie’s first line-up for this year’s Six Nations, Antoine Dupont captains the side after missing last season’s tournament due to his Olympic Sevens commitments which ended in him winning a gold medal.
Scrumhalf Dupont is partnered at halfback by Toulouse teammate Romain Ntamack in five changes from Les Bleus’ last game, November’s win over Argentina.
Ntamack makes his first Test appearance since August 2023 having sustained two long-term injuries.
France have won 15 out of 19 Six Nations games with Dupont and Ntamack starting, including the run to the 2022 Grand Slam title.
“They play often together at their club,” Galthie said.
“It’s an ‘old-new’ halfback partnership with a lot of experience despite their youth,” he added.
Among the other alterations are Theo Attissogbe coming in on the right wing owing to an injury to Damian Penaud.
On the opposite wing is Penaud’s fellow Bordeaux-Begles flyer in Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who has scored 16 tries for club and country this season.
In the midfield, Pierre-Louis Barassi replaces the injured Gael Fickou and last year’s Six Nations skipper Gregory Alldritt is at No.8 instead of Charles Ollivon.
Alexandre Roumat comes in for Flament at lock.
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Head-to-Head
Last 5 Meetings
France:15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Theo Attissogbe, 13 Pierre-Louis Barassi, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont (captain), 8 Gregory Alldritt, 7 Paul Boudehent, 6 Francois Cros, 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 4 Alexandre Roumant, 3Uini Atonio, 2 Peato Mauvaka,1 Jean-Baptiste Gros
Replacements: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Cyril Baille, 18 Georges-Henri Colombe, 19 Hugo Auradou,20 Mickael Guillard, 21 Oscar Jegou, 22 Nolann Le Garrec, 23 Emilien Gailleton
Date: Friday, January 31
Venue: Stade de France, Paris
Kick-off: 21.15; 20.15 GMT
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Andrea Piardi (Italy), Jordan Way (Australia)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia)
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