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Fabien Galthie hands out debut in one of two changes for France
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Pau’s 20-year-old centre Fabien Brau-Boirie will make his debut for France on Sunday against Wales in round two of the Guinness Six Nations.
Brau-Boirie will replace Yoram Moefana at inside centre in Cardiff, after the Bordeaux-Begles centre picked up a knee injury in the opening round victory over Ireland.
Moefana’s Bordeaux team-mate and fellow centre Nicolas Depoortere has also sustained a calf injury since the victory over Andy Farrell’s side, which is expected to sideline him for the next two rounds. As a result, Brau-Boirie will be partnered by his Pau team-mate Émilien Gailleton in the midfield, in the two changes to the starting XV made by Fabien Galthie.
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The bench has also been tweaked, with Noah Nene being the only outside back in a 6-2 split on the bench, replacing Kalvin Gourgues, who injured his ankle in the final minutes in Paris. The Stade Francais centre, 21, is also in line to make his debut from the bench.
After missing round one for personal reasons, Thibaud Flament is back in the squad, replacing Hugo Auradou to partner fellow Toulouse lock Emmanuel Meafou on the bench. The final change among the substitutes will see Bordeaux hooker Maxime Lamothe replace Peato Mauvaka.
France sit in second in the Six Nations standings, level on points with England, who triumphed over Wales 48-7 in round one at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium.
Galthie’s men will arrive at the Principality Stadium as heavy favourites to come away with maximum points, which will be another stepping stone towards defending their title.
France XV
1 Jean-Baptiste Gros
2 Julien Marchand
3 Dorian Aldegheri
4 Charles Ollivon
5 Mickaël Guillard
6 François Cros
7 Oscar Jegou
8 Anthony Jelonch
9 Antoine Dupont (c)
10 Matthieu Jalibert
11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey
12 Fabien Brau-Boirie
13 Émilien Gailleton
14 Théo Attissogbe
15 Thomas Ramos
Replacements
16 Maxime Lamothe
17 Rodrigue Neti
18 Régis Montagne
19 Thibaud Flament
20 Emmanuel Meafou
21 Lenni Nouchi
22 Baptiste Serin
23 Noah Nene
