A French star has been ruled out of Sunday’s Six Nations match against Italy in Lille.
Flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert, who started Les Bleus’ first two games of the tournament, said on social media that “a slight discomfort in my calf forced me to withdraw” fr0m the match.He is expected to be back for the clash against Scotland at Murrayfield on 7 March.
Jalibert, who was handed his chance because of injury to Romain Ntamack, also missed France’s three November Tests last year due to a muscle injury in his left thigh.
Toulouse’s Thomas Ramos, initially slated to start at fullback, will move to flyhalf, a position he has filled numerous times before.
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Winger Theo Attissogbe, who has scored three tries in the wins over Ireland and Wales, switches to the No 15 jersey with Toulon’s Gael Drean called up for his first Test.
The 25-year-old was plucked from amateur side Rennes in 2022 and has scored 36 tries in 63 appearances for Toulon, including 12 in 14 matches in all competitions this season.
FRANCE – 15 Theo Attissogbe, 14 Gael Drean, 13 Emilien Gailleton, 12 Fabien Brau-Boirie, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Thomas Ramos, 9 Antoine Dupont (c), 8 Anthony Jelonch, 7 Oscar Jegou, 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 Georges-Henri Colombe, 19 Charles Ollivon, 20 Mickael Guillard, 21 Lenni Nouchi, 22 Baptiste Serin, 23 Pierre-Louis Barassi.
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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