Galthie sticks with winning formula, hands Brau-Boirie first cap
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France coach Fabien Galthie has opted for consistency for Round Two of the Six Nations with the starting XV largely retaining the spine of the side that opened the campaign, with minor tweaks in midfield and on the bench for the trip to Wales.
There is consistency in the back three, where Thomas Ramos continues at full-back in his dual role as organiser and primary goal-kicker. On the wings, Attissogbe and Louis Bielle-Biarrey are retained, underlining France’s commitment to tempo, width and attacking ambition.
The only enforced change in the backs comes in midfield, with Nicolas Depoortere and Yoram Moefana sidelined through injury. Émilien Gailleton and Fabien Brau-Boirie form the new centre partnership.
At half-back, there are no surprises: Matthieu Jalibert steers proceedings at flyhalf, while captain Antoine Dupont remains the side’s heartbeat at scrumhalf.
Up front, the pack shows complete stability. The back row of Anthony Jelonch, Oscar Jegou, and François Cros is retained, offering a blend of breakdown threat, defensive intensity, and mobility.
In the second row, Mickaël Guillard and Charles Ollivon continue their partnership, while the front row of Dorian Aldegheri, Julien Marchand, and Jean-Baptiste Gros stays intact after a dominant display in the set-piece against Ireland.
There is also a milestone, with Fabien Brau-Boirie earning his first cap, while Noah Nene comes onto the bench in place of Kalvin Gourgues among the replacements.
France: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Théo Attissogbe, 13 Émilien Gailleton, 12 Fabien Brau-Boirie, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Antoine Dupont, 8 Anthony Jelonch, 7 Oscar Jegou, 6 François Cros, 5 Michael Guillard, 4 Charles Ollivon, 3 Dorian Aldegheri, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros
Replacements: 16 Maxime Lamothe, 17 Rodrigue Neti, 18 Regis Montagne, 19 Thibaud Flament, 20 Emmanuel Meafou, 21 Lenni Nouchi, 22 Baptiste Serin, 23 Noah Nene
Date: Sunday, January 15
Venue: Principality Stadium
Kick-off: 15.10 (16.10 CET; 15.10 GMT)
Referee: James Doleman (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Christophe Ridley (England), Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
TMO: Richard Kelly (New Zealand)
