Fabien Galthie has made three changes to the France starting line-up for Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations match against England.
Jonathan Danty returns to the starting XV for the first time since the La Rochelle centre featured in the opening victory over Italy in last season’s competition, at the expense of Yoram Moefana.
🏴🆚🇫🇷 Ce week-end c’est 𝒍𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒉 à Twickenham 💪
Rendez-vous samedi à 17h45 ! #NefaisonsXV #XVdeFrance #ANGFRA pic.twitter.com/BJd6f8Mp2L— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) March 9, 2023
Tighthead prop Dorian Aldegheri is set to make his first appearance of the competition as he comes in for the suspended Mohamed Haouas.
Haouas saw red after a head-on-head contact with Scotland’s Ben White and joins fellow prop Uini Atonio on the list of those suspended.
Blindside flanker Francois Cros replaces Toulouse team-mate Anthony Jelonch, who sustained an ACL injury during last month’s win over Scotland.
🇫🇷🏴 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐄 𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐋𝐀 𝐌𝐈-𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐒 !!! Le premier essai international de François Cros ! 😱❤️#FRAANG #XVdeFrance #NeFaisonsXV pic.twitter.com/x5EI0R5B0d
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) March 19, 2022
Jelonch’s injury is likely to rule him out of the World Cup this autumn, which France host.
Les Bleus sit fourth in the current Six Nations standings and a win over Steve Borthwick’s side at Twickenham will see them leapfrog England in the table.
France team: T Ramos (Toulouse) ; D Penaud (Clermont), G Fickou (Racing 92), J Danty (La Rochelle), E Dumortier (Lyon); R Ntamack (Toulouse), A Dupont (Toulouse, capt); C Baille (Toulouse), J Marchand (Toulouse), D Aldegheri (Toulouse), T Flament (Toulouse), P Willemse (Montpellier), F Cros (Toulouse), C Ollivon (Toulon), G Alldritt (La Rochelle).
Replacements: P Mauvaka (Toulouse) , R Wardi (La Rochelle), S Falatea (Bordeaux Begles), R Taofifenua (Toulon), S Macalou (Stade Français), M Lucu (Bordeaux-Begles), Y Moefana (Bordeaux Begles), M Jaminet (Toulouse).
