PARIS (Reuters) – France forward Cameron Woki, who fractured his hand last weekend, was left out of the country’s Six Nations squad as head coach Fabien Galthie named his 42 players on Tuesday.
Woki, who plays in the second or third row, sustained the injury in Racing 92’s 30-29 win over Harlequins in the Champions Cup on Sunday and will be out of action for six to eight weeks.
France, who will host the World Cup later this year, start their campaign away to Italy on Feb. 5.
Back rower Francois Cros and lock Paul Willemse are back in the squad after missing the autumn series because of injury, while Galthie also selected eight uncapped players, although only Louis Bielle-Biarrey has never been called up before.
Cros has only played a few seconds with Toulouse this season but is expected to be back in full action for the Six Nations tournament. Willemse has been starting for Montpellier on a regular basis since mid-December.
Les Bleus, who are on a 13-match winning streak, will be looking to become the first team to complete back-to-back Grand Slams in the Six Nations.
They will be without several other injured players, including centre Jonathan Danty and hooker Peato Mauvaka.
Squad:
Forwards:
ALLDRITT Gregory
ATONIO Uini
BAILLE Cyril
BARLOT Gaetan
BAUBIGNY Teddy
BECOGNEE Alexandre
BOUDEHENT Paul
CAMARA Yacouba
CHALUREAU Bastien
CRETIN Dylan
CROS François
FALATEA Sipili
FLAMENT Thibaud
HAOUAS Mohamed
JELONCH Anthony
JOLMES Thomas
LAVAULT Thomas
MACALOU Sekou
MARCHAND Julien
OLLIVON Charles
PRISO Dany
TAOFIFENUA Romain
WARDI Reda
WILLEMSE Paul
Backs:
BARASSI Pierre-Louis
BIELLE-BIARREY Louis
BUROS Romain
COLY Leo
DELBOUIS Julien
DUMORTIER Ethan
DUPONT Antoine
FICKOU Gael
GAILLETON Emilien
HASTOY Antoine
JALIBERT Matthieu
JAMINET Melvyn
LE GARREC Nolann
LEBEL Matthis
MOEFANA Yoram
NTAMACK Romain
PENAUD Damian
RAMOS Thomas
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ken Ferris)
