Antoine Dupont returns to captain France against Ireland

Fabien Galthie has named his France team to face Ireland in the opening match of the Guinness Six Nations at the Stade de France on Thursday, with Antoine Dupont set to make his Test return.

The Toulouse scrum-half ruptured his ACL against the same opposition in last year’s Championship, and only made his return to action in December, but is now back to captain Les Bleus.

With his usual club-mate Romain Ntamack injured, Dupont will partner Bordeaux-Begles fly-half Matthieu Jalibert, who is in the form of his life currently.

With a handful of big names missing out on Galthie’s Six Nations squad, there were some question marks heading into this team selection, but the head coach has named an established side with no uncapped players in the squad.

Anthony Jelonch will wear the No.8 jersey that has so often been worn by the omitted Gregory Alldritt, while 21-year-old Théo Attissogbe will start on the right wing in place of Damian Penaud.

Fixture

Six Nations

France

12:10

5 Feb 26

Ireland

All Stats and Data

With Thibaud Flament absent for this match during his wife’s fertility treatment, former captain Charles Ollivon will start in the second-row. However, Flament’s usual second-row partner, Toulouse team-mate Emmanuel Meafou, will start on the bench, with Lyon’s Mickaël Guillard packing down in the No.5 shirt.

Meafou is one of six forwards on the bench, with Baptiste Serin and 20-year-old Kalvin Gourgues being the two options among the backs.

France XV
15. Thomas Ramos
14. Théo Attissogbe
13. Nicolas Depoortere
12. Yoram Moefana
11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey
10. Matthieu Jalibert
9. Antoine Dupont (c)
1. Jean-Baptiste Gros
2. Julien Marchand
3. Dorian Aldegheri
4. Charles Ollivon
5. Mickaël Guillard
6. François Cros
7. Oscar Jégou
8. Anthony Jelonch

Replacements
16. Peato Mauvaka
17. Rodrigue Neti
18. Régis Montagne
19. Hugo Auradou
20. Emmanuel Meafou
21. Lenni Nouchi
22. Baptiste Serin
23. Kalvin Gourgues