Galthie tweaks France team for Scotland clash
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France coach Fabien Galthie kept changes to a minimum to his starting XV for Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Scotland as the French bid to keep their hopes of a first title and Grand Slam since 2010 alive.
Jonathan Danty comes in at centre – he missed the 30-24 victory over Ireland a fortnight ago due to injury – with Yoram Moefana moving out to the wing to replace Gabin Villiere, who suffered facial injuries in the Ireland clash.
The Scots have proved a bit of a thorn in Galthie’s side since he took over after the 2019 World Cup.
They inflicted a 28-17 defeat at Murrayfield in 2020 – when prop Mohamed Haouas was sent off in the first-half – and then beat France in the dying minutes of their clash in Paris last year.
“Two years ago we were turned over by the Scots,” said Galthie at the press conference following the naming of the team.
“We were unable to, and did not know how to, find the keys to unlock the Scots and it was a non-event from our point of view.
“But it was also especially a learning curve for us the coaching staff, and for the team.
“Scotland inflicted our only home defeat so far. Therefore, it is a team that poses us problems.
“To learn is to progress and to understand. Thus we have prepared for this match as a result of that process.”
Moefana will win his sixth cap but his first on the wing.
The 21-year-old has played just three times for Bordeaux-Begles on the wing, once this season.
Galthie says he is confident Moefana will perform in his unaccustomed position.
“He played well against Ireland, indeed he had a very good match,” said Galthie.
“Against England [in December 2020], he was impressive, he is performing very well for his club and in all the training sessions with us, whether at centre or the wing.
“Our preference was to maintain a consistency in the centres with the Fickou-Danty partnership, which is beginning to blend very nicely.”
France: 15 Melvyn Jaminet, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Yoram Moefana, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont (captain), 8 Anthony Jelonch, 7 Gregory Alldritt, 6 Francois Cros, 5 Paul Willemse, 4 Cameron Woki, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Cyril Baille.
Replacements: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Jean-Baptiste Gros, 18 Demba Bamba, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Thibaud Flament, 21 Dylan Cretin, 22 Maxime Lucu, 23 Thomas Ramos.
Date: Saturday, February 26
Venue: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 14.15 (15.15 France time, 14.15 GMT)
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (England), Chris Busby (Ireland)
TMO: Tom Foley (England)
