Double boost for France ahead of Azzurri showdown
INJURY UPDATE: Centre Gael Fickou and lock Thibaud Flament return after recovering from injury to France’s 42-man squad ahead of their third Six Nations game against Italy, the French Rugby Federation said Friday.
Fickou broke his thumb last month with the 93-times capped player missing France’s 43-0 win over Wales and 25-26 defeat to England.
The 30-year-old is however expected to miss this weekend’s game with club side Racing 92.
Flament, 27, also missed both games with a muscular problem but the 29-times capped player should make the Top 14 trip with club side Toulouse to Clermont this weekend.
However, his fellow lock and Toulouse teammate Emmanuel Meafou has been omitted ahead of the game against Italy on February 23 in Rome.
Other absentees include props Georges-Henri Colombe and Tevita Tatafu, who are replaced by Toulouse’s Dorian Aldegheri and Bordeaux’s Sipili Falatea.
Several players return including La Rochelle prop Reda Wardi after a rib injury, fullback Leo Barre, following a concussion in Top 14 action last month and veteran flanker Anthony Jelonch from a calf problem.
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