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Grégory Alldritt capitaine du XV de France pour débuter le Tournoi des Six Nations
L’encadrement tricolore a dévoilé la liste des 34 joueurs retenus pour la préparation du premier match du Tournoi des Six Nations.
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En l’absence d’Antoine Dupont et alors que beaucoup misaient sur Charles Ollivon, c’est finalement le numéro 8 de La Rochelle Grégory Alldritt qui portera le brassard de capitaine face au XV du Trèfle.
Ollivon a été le capitaine de Galthié avant qu’une blessure en 2022 ne le fasse manquer le Tournoi des Six Nations. Dupont l’a ensuite endossé et a conduit les Bleus à la Coupe du Monde de Rugby, qui s’est soldée par une élimination en quarts de finale.
Six néophytes
Parmi les anciens, Uini Atonio et Romain Taofifenua sont intégrés après être revenus sur leur décision de départ à la retraite.
A l’ineverse, le groupe compte l’arrivée de six joueurs qui n’ont encore jamais remporté de sélection. deux avaient pourtant déjà été appelés par le passé : le deuxième-ligne Emmanuel Meafou (Toulouse) et le demi de mêlée Nolann Le Garrec (Racing 92).
En revanche, ce sera une totale découverte pour quatre joueurs : le centre Nicolas Depoortère (UBB), le troisième-ligne Esteban Abadie (Toulon), le deuxième-ligne Matthias Halagahu (Toulon), et le demi d’ouverture Antoine Gibert (Racing 92).
La présence de ce dernier est une surprise. Agé de 26 ans, le Racingmen pure souche est l’une des sensations de ce début de saison après avoir marqué trois essais en 12 matchs joués pour l’instant. Gibert est un joueur complet, avec un bon jeu au pied, précis et efficace, une bonne vision du jeu et une capacité à animer les attaques. Il est également un excellent défenseur (70% de plaquages réussis), ce qui lui permet de peser sur le match dans les deux sens.
Derrière la mêlée, Galthié n’a retenu que deux joueurs au poste très important de demi de mêlée laissé vacant par Dupont. Comme prévu, Maxime Lucu est présent et il sera épaulé par le jeune joueur du Racing 92, Nolann Le Garrec.
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Par ailleurs, Emilien Gailleton, 20 ans, espère obtenir plus de temps de jeu après avoir manqué de peu la Coupe du monde.
Avants (20)
- ABADIE Esteban (RC Toulon)
- ALDEGHERI Dorian (Stade Toulousain)
- ALLDRITT Grégory (Stade Rochelais) (Capitaine)
- ATONIO Uini (Stade Rochelais)
- BAILLE Cyril (Stade Toulousain)
- BARLOT Gaëtan (Castres Olympique)
- BOUDEHENT Paul (Stade Rochelais)
- CROS François (Stade Toulousain)
- GABRILLAGUES Paul (Stade Français Paris)
- HALAGAHU Matthias (RC Toulon)
- JELONCH Anthony (Stade Toulousain)
- LACLAYAT Thomas (Racing 92)
- MARCHAND Julien (Stade Toulousain)
- MAUVAKA Peato (Stade Toulousain)
- MEAFOU Emmanuel (Stade Toulousain)
- OLLIVON Charles (RC Toulon)
- TAOFIFENUA Romain (LOU Rugby)
- TAOFIFENUA Sébastien (LOU Rugby)
- WARDI Reda (Stade Rochelais)
- WOKI Cameron (Racing 92)
Arrières (14)
- BIELLE-BIARREY Louis (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)
- DANTY Jonathan (Stade Rochelais)
- DEPOORTÈRE Nicolas (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)
- FICKOU Gaël (Racing 92)
- GAILLETON Emilien (Section Paloise)
- GIBERT Antoine (Racing 92)
- JALIBERT Matthieu (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)
- JAMINET Melvyn (RC Toulon)
- LE GARREC Nolann (Racing 92)
- LEBEL Matthis (Stade Toulousain)
- LUCU Maxime (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)
- MOEFANA Yoram (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)
- PENAUD Damian (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)
- RAMOS Thomas (Stade Toulousain)
Comments on RugbyPass
Shannon Frizell’s second year is optional is how I heard it. Given nothing has been confirmed yet it gets more and more likely he signs to return next year. Cant wait to see Finau doing more work on Internal players.
25 Go to commentsBlindside flankers should be hard hitting defenders, good lineout jumper with height, and a hard worker who hits and cleans rucks. If he can be a destructive ball carrier it’s a bonus but not a necessity. Samipeni Fineau and Cullen Grace are excellent at those core skills and my choice at blindside. Brad Shields is dismissed because he is 33 but not sure why that should be a consideration for this season. Shields too does these core roles well. Just don’t pick an 8 and shift him to 6 like the wingers on The Breakdown suggest, as if 6 and 8 are interchangeable. They are not. An 8 is first and foremost a dynamic ball carrier, not necessarily a destructive defender as a 6 should be. Devon Flanders and Akira Ioane are #8 s forced to play blindside because their teams have better options at 8 than them. Do not pick them at blindside
25 Go to commentsSaints obviously didn’t get the memo, or needed an ego boost?
1 Go to commentsReturning to the Chiefs would be another good change that could only put him into a better position to succeed in black
6 Go to commentsSimply outrageous and demonstrably false to say Finau’s tackle on Lynagh was “2 seconds late” In reality it was probably 0.5 seconds after he passed the ball. If you carry the ball at speed to within 5m of the defensive line you can expect to get tackled. Finau could have pulled out of it and not absolutely flattened him for sure, but there was going to be contact either way. He seems like a high risk selection at the moment, but there is no one else like him in NZ at the moment. His big tackles make the highlight reels but he is also a great athlete, very fast for such a big man, spent most of his days at lock so also very strong in the line out.
25 Go to commentsYes, Finau looks like the best option. Blackadder is not big enough for an international 6 - he should join the queue at 7. Frizzell had the power and heft and line-out height to play lock, so maybe that is where the ABs should be looking, not at a 7 who’s not big enough for 6, but at a lock who might have the agility to play 6, like Scott Barrett, or… Natai Ah Kuoi, who absolutely fits that bill, but seldom gets to play 6 because the Chiefs have so many loosies.
25 Go to commentsPaul Quinn was a National MP.
6 Go to commentsNo need to worry about losers’ mentality hysteria from Australia. Finau has all the attributes, I don't recall a high or no arms tackle from him, and his timing has been controlled very well since the round 3 Lynagh tackle. It's an easy decision for Razor, the only question is who should back him up from the bench. He can't be overworked like Squire was in his first full season.
25 Go to comments“Reds coach Les Kiss saying later: “I think every player has the right to feel safe.” Maybe Rugby is the wrong sport for people who want to feel safe..?
25 Go to commentsNot sure what the context was, but the highlights showed one scrum against Aussie where the baby Blacks were going backwards at a pace. The pack has been the issue since 2017, so they might be in for another reality check soon. This tournament should really have been two rounds, would have learned a lot more.
1 Go to commentsPeter Lakai has a ‘lot of size’? Since when? To Kirifi maybe. I think Laidlaw clearly saw he’s too small for 6 or 8, so plonked him at 7. Has potential to be Ardies understudy in black for 7.
6 Go to commentsDalton for skipper?
16 Go to commentsOh he's ‘Irish qualified’ isn't that convenient. If Ireland get any more Kiwis (and Aussie) in their backline they might need to run out in green and black kit soon. How is the supposed best rugby system in the world in need of trawling for journeyman Kiwi players?
2 Go to commentsCallum Grace is playing well now that he's finally back in his best position. But given it was Razor who somehow thought Grace was dynamic enough to be a No8 when he's clearly not, Im not sure he’d backtrack on that. Finau is risky with his style, and there's almost no point picking Blackadder when he can’t stay on the field more than five minutes.
25 Go to commentsThe team on paper has more supposed ‘stars’ than a lot of the sides they’re losing to. They’ve got the Razor-blues and aren't playing for Penney. He should jump before he's pushed.
1 Go to commentsProof. That if you lay dramatic instrumental hip hop music over a video of a skinny pale white kid running an unopposed zig zag on a training ground filled with rookies - it’ll look next-level epic!
13 Go to commentsIf they win the challenge Cup then it will have all been worth it. If they don’t, then maybe he should go. Lots of ppl seem to think very highly of him as a coach, but maybe he would be better working under someone. Any top sides looking for forwards coaches rn?
1 Go to commentsJason Ryan knows his craft as forwards coach and I'm sure he’ll hold sway with Scott Robertson of who he feels worthy of selection…his credentials validated when he put a 7xcaps between them front row...Ethan, Samisoni and Lomax on Ellis Park…Go the AB's…
25 Go to commentsFascinating. I’m optimistic about a team coached by Schmiddy, Cron and Parling
14 Go to commentsI think if Blackadder is fit, he has to be in the team. If he isn’t, Finau would be good, and I always thought Akira deserved more of a crack at it. I think he looked better than ppl gave him credit.
25 Go to comments