France coach Fabien Galthié has opted for a sturdier second row against England in their final Six Nations match in Paris on Saturday.
Les Bleus are bidding this weekend to back-to-back Six Nations titles for the first time since 2007.
Just as he did against Italy and their powerful pack, Galthié has opted for the hulking Toulouse pair of Emmanuel Meafou and Thibaud Flament in the engine room.
“Thibaud is undoubtedly the best in the world in his position, and Manny’s not far behind,” France’s forwards coach William Servat said on Wednesday.
It is the ninth time that Galthié has picked them together in the second row, making them his second-most used lock pairing since he took over the French reins in 2020, behind the South African duo Bernard Le Roux and Paul Willemse.
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The move was partly forced by flanker Oscar Jegou, who has been one of France’s best players in the tournament, copping a four-match suspension for eye-gouging Scotland hooker Ewan Ashman, and No 8 Anthony Jelonch hurting his hamstring in training during the week.
Charles Ollivon moves from lock to No 8, with Temo Matiu – the son of New Zealand-born former France international Legi Matiu – taking Jegou’s place at openside to earn his first cap.
Lock Mickael Guillard, who was Man of the Match against Ireland in the tournament opener, drops to the bench.
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In the backline, Toulouse centre Pierre-Louis Barassi comes in for Bordeaux-Begles’ Nicolas Depoortere, who dislocated his shoulder against Scotland last week.
Unless Scotland draw away to Ireland, France must win, and potentially with a bonus point, to retain the Six Nations crown.
Scotland blew the title-race open last week with a stunning 50-40 dismantling of previously-unbeaten France at Murrayfield.
But France managed to maintain a significant points difference advantage by scoring four tries in the final quarter of an hout to ensure they took home a try bonus point.
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“Firstly we had to digest [the defeat], but that bonus point snatched at the end warmed our hearts,” Barassi said on Wednesday. “Life goes on and it’s been 20 years since France won back-to-back titles.”
FRANCE – 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Theo Attissogbe, 13 Pierre-Louis Barassi, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Antoine Dupont (c), 8 Charles Ollivon, 7 Temo Matiu, 6 Francois Cros, 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 4 Thibaud Flament, 3 Dorian Aldegheri, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros.
Bench: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Rodrigue Neti, 18 Demba Bamba, 19 Hugo Auradou, 20 Mickael Guillard, 21 Joshua Brennan, 22 Baptiste Serin, 23 Emilien Gailleton.
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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