Nine Toulouse players confirmed in Les Bleus' Nations Championship squad
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: France confirmed their Nations Championship squad with the addition of nine players from Top 14 champions Toulouse.
Toulouse flyhalf Romain Ntamack wants his club teammates to carry their “energy” from lifting a fourth-straight Top 14 on Saturday to this July’s Nations Championship campaign with France.
France will travel to Australia before their opener with New Zealand on Saturday.
*Also read: Toulouse secure fourth-straight Top 14 title after storm-impacted Final
The 27-year-old will be joined by the likes of superstar scrumhalf Antoine Dupont on the plane on Monday, but the extra squad members will be rested for the game against the All Blacks.
“I hope our joy from Toulouse will be taken there and we can bring happiness down there even if I don’t doubt that they’re already in good spirits,” Ntamack told reporters on Saturday after holding on to beat Montpellier 28-20 in the Final.
“I hope we can bring our end-of-season energy to that squad,” he added.
Dupont confirmed he would be heading to the southern hemisphere with Les Bleus straight after the game to French television.
Club teammates in centre Kalvin Gourgues, hooker Peato Mauvaka, lock Emmanuel Meafou and versatile forward Alexandre Roumat are also included in Fabien Galthie’s squad.
Montpellier flanker Lenni Nouchi, as well as uncapped midfielder Auguste Cadot and lock Florien Verhaeghe, have been handed call-ups too.
Dupont and Ntamack face competition for the starting half-backs berths from Bordeaux-Begles playmakers Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert for a match against Australia on July 11 and Japan a week later.
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‘Job done’
“There will be two matches to play in the tour; they will be two different contexts,” Ntamack said.
“But heading down there with a feeling of job done is something,” he added.
Ntamack, son of former France great Emile, will embark on his first tour of the southern hemisphere, having been denied in the past due to a clash with the end of the Top 14 season.
The French Rugby Federation and National Rugby League, who run the Top 14, have agreed to allow a select group from this season’s final to participate in the games next month, based on their low playing time this campaign.
The 43-time international missed the Six Nations success earlier this year before returning to guide his boyhood club to a record-extending 25th Bouclier de Brennus (Brennus Shield).
“While I was sidelined, I tried to focus on myself and do everything to finish the season like I did,” he said after claiming his sixth Top 14 title.
“I’m proud because it was a unique season.
“To finish with a Bouclier is the apotheosis.
“What there is to come this summer is a plus; I’m really happy to go on the tour,” he added.
France Nations Championship touring squad:
Forwards: Moses Alo-Emile, Hugo Auradou, Demba Bamba, Pierre Bochaton, Esteban Capilla, Sipili Falatea, Marko Gazzotti, Mickael Guillard, Oscar Jegou, Maxime Lamothe, Temo Matiu, Barnabe Massa, Peato Mauvaka, Emmanuel Meafou, Regis Montagne, Lenni Nouchi, Boris Palu, Jefferson Poirot, Alexandre Roumat, Tom Staniforth, Tevita Tatafu, Killian Tixeront, Florent Verhaeghe, Reda Wardi
Backs: Theo Attissogbe, Fabien Brau-Boirie, Auguste Cadot, Nicolas Depoortere, Antoine Dupont, Mathis Ferte, Theo Forner, Emilien Gailleton, Kalvin Gourgues, Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, Antoine Hastoy, Matthieu Jalibert, Nolann Le Garrec, Romain Ntamack, Maxime Lucu (capt), Damian Penaud, Max Spring
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