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France to unleash teen sensation against Ireland
By Peter Thompson
Teenage fly-half Matthieu Jalibert and Geoffrey Palis will make their France debuts in the Six Nations opener against Ireland on Saturday.
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Bordeaux Begles’ Jalibert will continue his rapid rise at Stade de France, starting alongside Maxime Machenaud in Jacques Brunel’s first match in charge of Les Bleus.
Palis also makes his international bow at full-back in Paris, while Adrien Pelissie, Dany Priso, Cedate Gomes Sa and Marco Tauleigne could make their debuts off the bench.
Captain Guilhem Guirado will be joined by props Jefferson Poirot and Rabah Slimani in an experienced front row on the first day of the tournament.
Henry Chavancy and Remi Lamerat will form the centre pairing, while Racing 92 duo Virimi Vakatawa and Teddy Thomas get the nod on the wings.
? Les Bleus sont #PrêtsAuCombat ! Découvrez la composition de l’équipe désignée par le sélectionneur Jacques Brunel et son staff pour affronter l’Irlande samedi au @StadeFrance ! #soutiensleXV #FRAIRL pic.twitter.com/vazmm3GdTm
— FF Rugby (@FFRugby) February 1, 2018
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France XV: Geoffrey Palis, Teddy Thomas, Remi Lamerat, Henry Chavancy, Virimi Vakatawa, Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Machenaud; Jefferson Poirot, Guilhem Guirado (captain), Rabah Slimani, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Arthur Iturria, Wenceslas Lauret, Yacouba Camara, Kevin Gourdon.
Replacements: Adrien Pelissie, Dany Priso, Cedate Gomes Sa, Paul Gabrillagues, Marco Tauleigne, Antoine Dupont, Anthony Belleau, Benjamin Fall.
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Welsh rugby is broke. If you play in the system you don't earn what you could even 2hr flight away. But those clubs want you full time. Nz players face a similar dilemma but the reality is all black staus puts a premium on your value that only a lions cap might approach. The difference in right now money is clearly to great. We have lost and are losing talent as well but the machine keeps feeding replacements. Charles Piatau as it stands today would never have earned the money had he stayed, in coaching Pat Lamb same. He'll he earned More than Eddie or Gats. But those golden days are over. Thankfully for nz. But France and Japan are the model of corporate/ billionaire owners with a mind to rights and merch dollars that have the power right now. But they follow the us club sport/ UK euro soccer club professional model. God help us all if the US gets there shit together. With or without oil money. Ultimately top players have a limited life span to earn that can end next week. Imagine if you got told you have maybe fifteen years to make 90 % of you life's salary AND one injury could mean that is reduced what ever you current contract is worth.?? What would YOU DO?
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