Inside-centre Jonathan Danty will make his Rugby World Cup debut in a much-changed French team as head coach Fabien Galthié announces the 23 players in his match-day squad to take on Namibia in Pool A at Stade de Marseille on Thursday, 21 September.
1 Cyril Baille
2 Peato Mauvaka
3 Uini Atonio
4 Cameron Woki
5 Thibaud Flament
6 François Cros
7 Charles Ollivon
8 Anthony Jelonch
9 Antoine Dupont (c)
10 Matthieu Jalibert
11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey
12 Jonathan Danty
13 Gaël Fickou
14 Damian Penaud
15 Thomas Ramos
Replacements:
16 Pierre Bourgarit
17 Reda Wardi
18 Dorian Aldegheri
19 Romain Taofifenua
20 Paul Boudehent
21 Baptiste Couilloud
22 Yoram Moefana
23 Melvyn Jaminet
- Head coach Fabien Galthié has made 12 changes to his starting XV from the side that defeated Uruguay last match, with only Cameron Woki, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Anthony Jelonch retaining their spot in the run-on team.
- Ten players who started against the All Blacks in the opening game of RWC 2023 return to the starting XV, including five in the backline.
- Jonathan Danty returns to the starting XV for the first time since scoring a try against the Wallabies on 27 August. He will make his RWC debut in his 24th career test.
- Damian Penaud is currently enjoying a five-game try-scoring streak, the longest of his career. He is France’s leading try scorer this season with nine, and is looking to become the first Frenchman to score 10 tries in a calendar year since Phillipe Saint-André scored 12 in 1995.
- In his 19th test as captain, Antoine Dupont is yet to lose a match on home soil when leading the team, winning all 13 games. His only career loss as captain came against Ireland earlier this year in Dublin.
- Thomas Ramos is averaging 17 points per game in 2023, and has not missed more than two kicks at goal in a single test this season.
