PARIS, Feb 12 : France coach Fabien Galthie has made two changes to the starting XV for Sunday’s Six Nations match against Wales in Cardiff, sticking largely with the side that outclassed Ireland 36-14 in last week’s opener.
Pau teammates Fabien Brau-Boirie and Emilien Gailleton will take over in the midfield, replacing Yoram Moefana and Nicolas Depoortere, both ruled out through injury.
Twenty-year-old Brau-Boirie, who has been a standout player for Pau this season, is set to earn his first cap for Les Bleus.
On the bench, Maxime Lamothe, Thibaud Flament and Noah Nene come in, replacing Peato Mauvaka, Hugo Auradou and Kalvin Gourgues, respectively. Like Brau-Boirie, Nene has the chance to make his international debut if called upon during the match.
France will head to Cardiff aiming to maintain momentum from last week’s emphatic victory.
France team:
15-Thomas Ramos, 14-Theo Attissogbe, 13-Emilien Gailleton, 12-Fabien Brau-Boirie, 11-Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10-Matthieu Jalibert, 9-Antoine Dupont (captain), 8-Anthony Jelonch, 7-Francois Cros, 6-Oscar Jegou, 5-Mickael Guillard, 4-Charles Ollivon, 3-Dorian Aldegheri, 2-Julien Marchand, 1-Jean-Baptiste Gros.
Replacements: 16-Maxime Lamothe, 17-Rodrigue Neti, 18-Regis Montagne, 19-Thibaud Flament, 20-Emmanuel Meafou, 21-Lenni Nouchi, 22-Baptiste Serin, 23-Noah Nene.
