Fabien Galthie wields axe with 7 changes to France squad and 7-1 bench

Fabien Galthie has changed four players in his starting XV to take on Italy in Rome on Sunday to the one that lost to England in round two of the Guinness Six Nations, with further changes on the bench.

The second-row unit has been completely replaced for the trip to the Stadio Olimpico, with the previously injured Thibaud Flament making his first appearance of the tournament. He will partner Mackael Guillard in the engine room, who started on the bench at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium but will now fill in for Emmanuel Meafou, who has fallen ill. Alexandre Roumat, who held Flament’s No.4 jersey for the first two rounds, has been demoted to the bench.

Fly-half Matthieu Jalibert and winger Damian Penaud are the other two casualties from France’s wasteful performance against England, with the Bordeaux-Begles pair axed entirely.

Thomas Ramos will shift from full-back to fly-half for the match, with Stade Francais’ Leo Barre taking the No.15 jersey.

Fixture

Six Nations

Italy

24 - 73

Full-time

France

All Stats and Data

After scoring two tries in the opening round victory over Wales, Theo Attissogbe has returned to the right wing in place of Penaud, who moved within one try against England of Serge Blanco’s France record of 38.

The bench has also seen plenty of changes, with replacement tighthead Georges-Henri Colombe missing out in favour of Dorian Aldegheri after some costly errors against Steve Borthwick’s side.

Lock Romain Taofifenua has also taken the place of Hugo Auradou, while Anthony Jelonch has bolstered the forward options on the bench, taking centre Emilien Gailleton’s place to make a 7-1 split on the bench.

The sole back among the substitutes is scrum-half Maxime Lucu, who has been chosen over Nolann Le Garrec.

France XV
1 Jean-Baptiste Gros
2 Peato Mauvaka
3 Uini Atonio
4 Thibaud Flament
5 Mickael Guillard
6 Francois Cros
7 Paul Boudehent
8 Gregory Alldritt
9 Antoine Dupont
10 Thomas Ramos
11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey
12 Yoram Moefana
13 Pierre-Louis Barassi
14 Theo Attissogbe
15 Leo Barre

Replacements
16 Julien Marchand
17 Cyril Baille
18 Dorian Aldegheri
19 Romain Taofifenua
20 Alexandre Roumat
21 Oscar Jegou
22 Anthony Jelonch
23 Maxime Lucu