(Reuters) – Toulouse duo Romain Ntamack and Cyril Baille will start France’s opening autumn international against Australia in Paris on Saturday despite recent injury troubles that have restricted their playing time at club level.
After last featuring for the Top 14 leaders in September, flyhalf Ntamack was named in the France team on Thursday as coach Fabien Galthie made 11 changes to the side that started July’s second test win in Japan.
Ntamack, 23, will partner captain and Toulouse team mate Antoine Dupont while Baille, who played his first game of the season last weekend after returning from a groin problem, Julien Marchand and Uini Atonio are in the front row.
Toulouse lock Thibaud Flament will link up with Racing 92’s Cameron Woki in the second row after Paul Willemse missed out due to a thigh issue. Elsewhere, Thomas Ramos has been selected at fullback following Melvyn Jaminet’s ankle injury.
Charles Ollivon, who missed France’s triumphant Six Nations campaign due to a lengthy injury layoff, starts at flanker and joins Gregory Alldritt and Anthony Jelonch in the back row.
Yoram Moefana, Damian Penaud, Ollivon and Flament retain their places from France’s last outing against Japan in Tokyo, when Les Blues were without a number of first-choice players.
Team
15-Thomas Ramos, 14-Damian Penaud, 13-Gael Fickou, 12-Jonathan Danty, 11-Yoram Moefana, 10-Romain Ntamack, 9-Antoine Dupont, 8-Gregory Alldritt, 7-Charles Ollivon, 6-Anthony Jelonch, 5-Thibaud Flament, 4-Cameron Woki, 3-Uini Atonio, 2-Julien Marchand, 1-Cyril Baille
Replacements: 16-Peato Mauvaka, 17-Dany Priso, 18-Sipili Falatea, 19-Romain Taofifenua, 20-Kilian Geraci, 21-Sekou Macalou, 22-Maxime Lucu, 23-Matthieu Jalibert
(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
