Dupont returns to captain France against Wales
Men's Six Nations: France v WalesVenue: Stade de France Date: Friday, 31 January Kick-off: 20:15 GMTCoverage: Listen live on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC 5 Live; text commentary and highlights on BBC Sport website and app; watch on S4C.
Antoine Dupont will return to captain France in their Six Nations opener against Wales on Friday.Dupont, 28, missed the 2024 championships in order to focus on rugby sevens ahead of his home Olympics in Paris.Such was his impact, he helped France win the gold medal and was named World Rugby Men's Sevens Player of the Year.Dupont's half-back partner Romain Ntamack is also back after suffering a serious knee injury which forced him to miss the 2023 World Cup and last year's championship.France come into the Six Nations having won all three of their autumn internationals against Japan, New Zealand and Argentina.They will be looking to repeat their heroics of 2022, when they completed the Grand Slam.
Jean-Baptiste Gros, Peato Mauvaka and Uini Antonia are named in the front row, with Alexandre Roumat and Emmanuel Meafou as locks.Francois Cros, Paul Boudehent and Gregory Alldritt make up the back row.Pierre-Louis Barrassi and Yoram Moefana form France's centre partnership, while Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Theo Attissogbe and Thomas Ramos make up the back three.Wing Damian Penaud has been ruled out of the game with a toe injury, while centre Gael Fickou is recovering from a fractured thumb.Flanker Charles Ollivon will miss the entire tournament and the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery.Head coach Fabien Galthie has gone for a six-two split among his replacements.
France: Thomas Ramos; Theo Attissogbe, Pierre-Louis Barrassi, Yoram Moefana, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Romaine Ntamack, Antoine Dupont (capt); Jean-Baptiste Gros, Peato Mauvaka, Uini Atonio, Alexandre Roumat, Emmanuel Meafou, Francois Cros, Paul Boudehent, Gregory AlldrittReplacements: Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille, Georges-Henri Colombe, Hugo Auradou, Mickael Guillard, Oscar Jegou, Nolann Le Garrec, Emilien Gailleton.
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