France rush Dupont back

NEWS: Star scrumhalf Antoine Dupont was named in the France squad for November internationals against Japan, New Zealand and Argentina.

Dupont, 27, last played for the France team in the 2023 World Cup quarterfinal loss to South Africa on home soil.

He sat out the Six Nations to focus on playing for the French Sevens team, going on to win Olympic gold at the Paris Games.

Two other scrumhalves were named by coach Fabien Galthie in the squad: Bordeaux’s Maxime Lucu and Racing 92’s Nolann Le Garrec, who ended up as the starting No.9 in last season’s Six Nations.

Dupont’s Toulouse teammate Romain Ntamack, however, misses out on the 42-man squad that features eight new call-ups, the flyhalf having picked up an ankle injury on club duty.

There are two flyhalfves included in Bordeaux’s Mathieu Jalibert and Lyon’s uncapped Leo Berdeu, while Toulouse fullback Thomas Ramos is also a contender, having replaced the former for matches against England and Wales last year.

Up front, Toulouse hooker Julien Marchand misses the cut, his teammate Peato Mauvaka preferred along with Castres’ Gaetan Barlot and Bordeaux rookie Maxime Lamothe.

There are three more uncapped Bordeaux players named in fullback Romain Buros and the back row pair of Pierre Bochaton and Marko Gazzotti.

Others making their debut in a France squad are Toulouse’s centre Paul Costes and lock Joshua Brennan, and Bayonne prop Tevita Tatafu, who was born in Tonga but joined the youth set-up of his French club as a 17-year-old, thus qualifying for France on residency grounds.

Brennan is the son of former Ireland forward Trevor, who carved out an iconic name for himself in Toulouse colours before settling in the French city.

There was no place in the squad for Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, who were charged with aggravated rape after winning their first international caps against Argentina in the mid-year Tests.

The pair were arrested after a 39-year-old woman alleged they viciously assaulted her in a hotel room hours after winning against the Pumas in Mendoza.

Lawyers for the two players have asked for the case to be discontinued, with a hearing scheduled for October 25.

Also missing is fullback Melvyn Jaminet, who made racist remarks on social media after that same match against Los Pumas in July.

He was sent home from the three-match tour and received a 34-week suspension by the French federation.

France kick off their year-end campaign against Japan on November 9, followed by New Zealand and then Argentina on November 16 and 22 respectively.

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French squad

Props: Uini Atonio (La Rochelle), Georges-Henri Colombe (La Rochelle), Jean-Baptiste Gros (Toulon), Sebastien Taofifénua (Lyon), Tevita Tatafu (Bayonne), Reda Wardi (La Rochelle)

Hookers: Gaetan Barlot (Castres), Maxime Lamothe (Bordeaux-Begles), Peato Mauvaka (Toulouse)

Second row: Joshua Brennan (Toulouse), Thibaud Flament (Toulouse), Mickael Guillard (Lyon), Emmanuel Meafou (Toulouse), Romain Taofifenua (Lyon)

Back row: Gregory Alldritt (La Rochelle), Pierre Bochaton (Bordeaux-Begles), Paul Boudehent (La Rochelle), Francois Cros (Toulouse), Marko Gazzotti (Bordeaux-Begles), Anthony Jelonch (Toulouse), Lenni Nouchi (Montpellier), Charles Ollivon (Toulon), Alexandre Roumat (Toulouse)

Scrumhalves: Antoine Dupont (Toulouse), Nolann Le Garrec (Racing 92), Maxime Lucu (Bordeaux-Begles)

Flyhalves: Leo Berdeu (Lyon), Mathieu Jalibert (Bordeaux-Begles)

Wings: Theo Attissogbe (Pau), Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Bordeaux-Begles), Damian Penaud (Bordeaux-Begles), Matthis Lebel (Toulouse), Gabin Villiere (Toulon)

Centres: Paul Costes (Toulouse), Jonathan Danty (La Rochelle), Gael Fickou (Racing 92), Antoine Frisch (Toulon), Emilien Gailleton (Pau), Yoram Moefana (Bordeaux-Begles)

Fullbacks: Leo Barre (Stade Francais), Romain Buros (Bordeaux-Begles), Thomas Ramos (Toulouse)