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Galthie goes big with French selection for Italy showdown

By AFP
Friday 20 Feb 2026

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France coach Fabien Galthie has recalled second row hulks Thibaud Flament and Emmanuel Meafou for Sunday’s Six Nations clash against Italy.

Galthie had lined up Mickael Guillard and Charles Ollivon in the second row of France’s first two tournament matches – thumping victories against Ireland and Wales – but has opted for a bit more bulk against the Azzurri’s hefty pack.

Both Guillard and Ollivon, who will start on the bench, play more commonly in the back row rather than the engine room and are more mobile than Flament and Meafou, who play together for club side Toulouse.

“In the pack there are players who play together in their clubs,” said Galthie.

“The scrum is subtle, it’s about feelings, connections – it’s about precision.”

Flament, 27, missed France’s opening 36-14 victory over Ireland as he was accompanying his wife in her fertility treatment but returned to start on the bench alongside Meafou against Wales.

The rest of the starting XV named on Friday remains the same as the team that romped to a 54-12 victory in Cardiff last weekend.

Thus Pau centre pair Emilien Gailleton and Fabien Brau-Boirie – try-scorers against Wales – retain their places with Bordeaux-Begles duo Nicolas Depoortere and Yoram Moefana still sidelined.

On the bench, hooker comes in for Maxime Lamothe, prop Georges-Henri Colombe replaces Regis Montagne and centre Pierre-Louis Barassi is given the nod over Noah Nene.

France: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Theo Attissogbe, 13 Emilien Gailleton, 12 Fabien Brau-Boirie, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey; 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Antoine Dupont (captain), 8 Anthony Jelonch, 7 Oscar Jegou, 6 Francois Cros, 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 4 Thibaud Flament, 3 Dorian Aldegheri, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros.
Replacements: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Rodrigue Neti, 18 Georges-Henri Colombe, 19 Charles Ollivon, 20 Mickael Guillard, 21 Lenni Nouchi, 22 Baptiste Serin, 23 Pierre-Louis Barassi.

Date: Sunday, February 22
Venue: Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille
Kick-off: 16.10 (15.10 GMT)
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (England), Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)

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