For the first time since 2020, Fabien Galthié will offer four players their first international start in a Tournament match, in Cardiff, on Sunday.
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A wind of freshness is blowing over the XV of France. In a largely remodeled team, the staff led by Fabien Galthié has decided to offer four players their first international start in Wales, Sunday March 10 at 4 p.m. (to be followed on France 2 and france.tv). Emmanuel Meafou, Nicolas Depoortere and Léo Barré will thus make their debut in blue, while Nolann Le Garrec, who came on three times, will start for the first time.
Emmanuel Meafou, such a long wait
Since you can never be too careful, it would be better to wait until Emmanuel Meafou takes to the pitch at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday to talk about his debut in Blue. They have in fact already been postponed twice. Hoped for before the World Cup, the second row of Australian origin was unable to benefit from an exemption and had to wait until November to benefit from French nationality. Expected at the start of the Tournament, he had to give up because of a painful knee.
With his colossus size (2.03 m, 145 kg), Meafou is a very powerful player, especially near the line (12 tries last season), but also skilled with his hands. These qualities have made him an essential element of Stade Toulouse, where he was launched in 2019. This essential face of the Top 14 is the most experienced (25 years old, 92 professional matches) of the four neophytes and was preferred to Posolo Tuilagi ( 19 years old, 3 selections), also a neo-international. “He is used to the final stages in the Top 14, in the European Cup.”notes forward co-coach Laurent Sempéré.
Nolann Le Garrec, the Breton asset
He’s not exactly a neophyte. Coming into play during the first three matches of the Tournament, Nolann Le Garrec will honor his first international start. The Racing 92 scrum half will try to bring his speed of execution to fluidify a French game that has sometimes been disjointed until then. He was also at the origin of one of the rare flashes of winter, by brushing aside Louis Bielle-Biarrey for the victorious try in Scotland. While Maxime Lucu has been the holder since the start of the tournament, Le Garrec has every interest in shining with, at stake, a place of number 9 “bis” when Antoine Dupont returns from his sevens adventure.
Day 2: the XV of France takes the lead thanks to Louis Bielle-Biarrey
After multiple dismissals, France and Scotland faced each other in a melee which turned to the advantage of the Blues. On the wing, Louis Bielle-Biarrey was successful and enterprising. He made his way to the goal of the Chardon XV. At the transformation, Thomas Ramos did not miss behind allowing the XV of France to take control for the first time in the match.
Launched very early into the deep end, the native of Vannes has already played 75 matches with Racing, at only 21 years old. “When you are a young little Breton, it is not necessarily the destiny that is predicted for you”, he was having fun in the corridors of the Vélodrome, on the evening of his first against Ireland (17-38). That evening, he became the first Breton to put on the French XV jersey since Gérard Bouguyon… in 1961. “Very attached” in his region, Nolann Le Garrec hopes to show that it can produce rugby talents, while Vannes, current leader of Pro D2, is at the gates of the elite.
Nicolas Depoortere, at full speed
On February 25, 2023, Nicolas Depoortere honored his very first tenure with Union Bordeaux-Bègles. A year and two weeks later, the three-quarter center became U20 world champion and established himself as a third-place finisher in the Top 14 despite only 30 professional matches. The kid is having a blast in a team built for big flights from the back lines. His try after an 80-meter ride against Racing 92 last weekend bears witness to this.
“He showed who he wasrejoiced his club manager Yannick Bru. We all agree that it’s a question of time. He will be part of the very high level.” Eight days after this fantastic ride at the Chaban-Delmas stadium, the powerful and technical center (1.94 m, 94 kg) will make his entry through the front door into the Blues, taking advantage of Jonathan Danty’s suspension. He passes in front of his usual friend from the center at UBB, Yoram Moefana, “only” a substitute.
Léo Barré, winning repositioning
It’s the story of a young player trained as an opener, used from time to time in the center to finally explode… at the back. For the young Léo Barré (21 years old), the switch took place in the fall of 2021 with Stade français. Still too frail to take on the keys to the Parisian game, the Versailles player agreed to move back to the back, on the advice of his coach Gonzalo Quesada. And it doesn’t matter if he had never worn number 15 among young people, the bet paid off.
Definitely fixed at the back this season, Barré is one of the best No. 15 in the Top 14, part of the championship leader and neo-international. “I have the impression of experiencing continuity in learninghe confides to Olympic Midday. I’m really happy to focus on this post. (…) You have less responsibilities, you can let go more.” His double scored against Stade Toulouse at the beginning of December illustrates the qualities of speed and reading of the game of this good receiver, also comfortable with his feet.