Philipe Saint-Andre has named a 36-man training squad to prepare for the Rugby World Cup this summer, with some notable omissions.
There is no room for Camile Lopez, the incumbent fly-half for most of the Six Nations, nor for Maxime Machenaud, Maxime Medard or Maxime Mermoz (is it a coincidence they all have the same first name?). Teddy Thomas and Thomas Domingo also miss out.
FORWARDS
Props
Atonio UINI
Eddy Ben Arous
Chiocci Xavier
DEBATY Vincent
Nicolas MAS
SLIMANI Rabah
Hookers
GUIRADO Guilhem
Benjamin Kayser
Dimitri Szarzewski
Locks
FLANQUART Alexandre
Yoann MAESTRI
IPO Pascal
VAHAAMAHINA Sebastian
Back row
DUSAUTOIR Thierry (cap)
LE ROUX Bernard
NYANGA Yannick
Fulgence Ouedraogo
CHOULY Damien
STUD Loann
Louis Picamoles
BACKS
Scrum halves
Rory Kockott
Morgan PARRA
TILLOUS-BORDE Sebastian
Fly halves
MICHALAK Frédéric
TALES Rémi
TRINH DUC François
Centres
Mathieu Bastareaud
Alexandre Dumoulin
FICKOU Gael
Wesley Fofana
LAMERAT Rémi
Back three
DULIN Brice
Guitoune Sofiane
HUGET Yoann
NAKAITACI Noa
SPEDDING Scott
6 replies on “Rugby World Cup 2015: France training squad”
Really, no Thomas? And what on earth has Mermoz done to be excluded. On the bright side he’she’s finally admitted he needs trinh duc
*he’s
Bad day to be a French rugby player called Maxime or Thomas
The formatting used for the names pretty much sums up the consistency of the France rugby team.
Szarzewski back, well deserved. Despite these omissions France are still an unpredictable side in arguably the easiest pool (Ireland, Italy, Canada and Georgia) so should have no trouble getting into the knockout stages. Trihn Duc’s return provide them with a bit of structure too
France surely and easily get up to the knockout stages, Szarzewski and Trihn Duc’s as Pj Say’s really provide them great structure.