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France overhaul front row to face Japan in Nations Championship / Photo: © AFP
France overhaul front row to face Japan in Nations Championship
France coach Fabien Galthie said Thursday that he was "not completely satisfied" with his team's scrum as he named a completely new front row to face Japan in Tokyo.
France blew Australia away 42-26 last week in the Nations Championship in Brisbane but Galthie has shaken up his pack for Saturday's game, bringing in Regis Montagne, Maxime Lamothe and Jefferson Poirot.
Alexandre Roumat replaces the injured Oscar Jegou in the back row in the only other change to the starting line-up, with scrum-half Paul Graou in line to make his debut from the bench.
Galthie said there were two reasons for the revamped front row.
"The first is that we're not completely satisfied with the performance of our scrum. We want to be more effective in that area," he said.
"The second is that we've brought seven props -- four tightheads and three looseheads -- and we need to get them onto the field, help them improve, find cohesion and help them grow."
Demba Bamba, Peato Mauvaka and Moses Alo-Emile drop out of the team that started against Australia.
Japan, coached by Eddie Jones, have also named a completely changed front row for a match expected to be played in steamy conditions in Tokyo, with high humidity and temperatures around 30 Celsius.
Galthie said France were "trying to develop potential" among their front-row players.
"The first quality of a prop is first and foremost his performance in the scrum, and then everything else is a bonus," he said.
Jegou was ruled out after sustaining a shoulder injury against the Wallabies.
Roumat comes in for his first international appearance since February 2025 and will win his 11th cap.
Graou, the son of former France international Stephane Graou, was named on the bench after an impressive club season deputising for Antoine Dupont at Toulouse.
"Over these last seasons, Antoine has played less or sometimes not at all, and it's Paul who has played the matches," said Galthie.
"We've seen match after match that he's developing, that he's performing."
France (15-1):
Matthieu Jalibert; Theo Attissogbe, Fabien Brau-Boirie, Yoram Moefana, Aaron Grandidier-Nkakang; Romain Ntamack, Maxime Lucu (capt); Alexandre Roumat, Marko Gazzotti, Lenni Nouchi; Emmanuel Meafou, Florian Verhaeghe; Regis Montagne, Maxime Lamothe, Jefferson Poirot
Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Reda Wardi, Sipili Falatea, Hugo Auradou, Tom Staniforth, Killian Tixeront, Paul Graou, Kalvin Gourgues
P. O'Kelly--BTZ
