France could change half their team for Murrayfield game
France could change half their team for the Autumn Nations Cup clash with Scotland, according to French media.
The two sides meet at Murrayfield on Sunday in a match which will likely decide who reaches the final of the new tournament.
France haven’t played since beating Ireland 35-27 in Paris in the final round of the Six Nations on 31 October. Their opening Nations Cup match against Fiji was cancelled following a Covid outbreak in the Islanders’ camp, with France awarded a 28-0 win.
Fabien Galthie’s side have lost stand-off Roma in N tamack to injury since the Irish match but there could be several other changes. According to L’equipe, at a training session open to the media on Wednesday, the French lined up with a front row made up of players who started the Irish game on the bench: Jean-baptiste Gros, Camille Chat and Demba Bamba.
The first-pick front three against Ireland were Cyril Baille, Julien Marchand and Mohamed Haouas.
Other changes in the pack at the session saw Roma in Tao fife nu are placing Paul Willemse in the second row, while Dylan Cretin is expected to step in for the injured Francois Cros at blindside flanker
Matthieu Jalibert is likely to start at 10 in the absence of Ntamack while Thomas R amos is earmarked for full-back in place of Anthony Bout hi er who is nursing a knee injury.
Wing er Teddy Thomas missed the Ireland match with a hamstring injury but is expected to return against Scotland, a change which would see Gael Fickou moved out to centre.