French side an unknown quantity
Gael Fickou. PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
They will hardly be easy-beats but there is no doubt the French team to play the All Blacks in Dunedin next week will be an unknown quantity.
Just as well there will still be plenty of star names in the team in black.
France coach Fabien Galthie yesterday named 17 uncapped players in his squad for the looming three-test series in New Zealand.
The likelihood of the tourists bringing a depleted squad to these shores had been well forecast.
Star halfback Antoine Dupont is injured, rampaging No 8 Gregory Alldritt and classy prop Jean-Baptiste Gros are rested, and the likes of Romain Ntamack, Thomas Ramos, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Thibaud Flament and Damian Penaud are involved in the Top 14 final this weekend between Toulouse and Bordeaux.
Galthie is allowed to select five players from that final, but they will only be available for the second and third tests against the All Blacks.
Romain Taofifenua.
Racing 92 centre Gael Fickou, who has 94 test caps, will captain France in the Forsyth Barr Stadium test.
Veteran forwards Rabah Slimani and Romain Taofifenua are the only other players in the initial squad with significant experience.
Versatile forward Cameron Woki has been cleared to play after the red card he copped while playing for a French XV at Twickenham last weekend was rescinded.
An interesting newcomer is lock Jacobus van Tonder.
He was a South African representative at schools level before moving to France to pursue a professional career.
Uncapped hooker Guillaume Marchand is the younger brother of French and Toulouse hooker Julien Marchand.
France squad
For All Blacks series
Forwards: Esteban Abadie, Hugo Auradou, Demba Bamba, Gaetan Barlot, Giorgi Beria, Pierre Bourgarit, Georges-Henri Colombe, Tyler Duguid, Baptiste Erdocio, Alexandre Fischer, Mickael Guillard, Matthias Halagahu, Paul Mallez, Guillaume Marchand, Regis Montagne, Rabah Slimani, Romain Taofifenua, Killian Tixeront, Jacobus van Tonder, Theo William, Cameron Woki.
Backs: Gael Fickou (captain), Theo Attissogbe, Leo Barre, Leo Berdeu, Leon Darricarrere, Thibault Daubagna, Alivereti Duguivalu, Emilien Gailleton, Antoine Hastoy, Baptiste Jauneau, Nolann Le Garrec, Theo Millet, Joris Segonds, Tom Spring, Cheikh Tiberghien, Gabin Villiere.
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