Say “33”! If, since the beginning of his adventure at the helm of the French men’s rugby team, Fabien Galthié has erected the number 42 as a totem – a form of “answer to the big question about life, the universe and everything else”as written The Galactic Traveler’s Guideby Douglas Adams – so “to train at best” his Blues; the Lotois coach was forced to reduce his group. Because, on the occasion of the Rugby World Cup, which will take place in France (from September 8 to October 28), World Rugby – the international federation – only allows each team to take on 33 players.
The tricolor coach announced, Monday August 21, live from the 1 p.m. newspaper of TF1 (broadcaster of the competition), the lucky ones, who overcame the intense preparation of almost two months. The Toulouse opening half Romain Ntamack is not included, the incumbent, in blue since 2019, has suffered a ruptured left knee ligament since the match against Scotland, Saturday August 12, and has was forced to forfeit the World Cup.
Led by captain Antoine Dupont, the French squad – who will face the All Blacks in the opening match on September 8 – aspire to win France’s first world rugby title. At 33, therefore, even if, for the players who have not “passed the cut”, all is not lost. “This list is not an end in itself.insisted Fabien Galthié at the beginning of August. There will be injury-related changes. » The rules of the competition allowing to replace injured players, certain absent players, who will ” look [le match d’ouverture] in their armchair, even have a chance to play the final as starters”concluded the coach.
Scroll the page to see the selected players, select one to view their complete profile.
The players in detail
Below is the detailed list of the 33 players of the XV of France for the World Cup.
Photo credits: AFP
