France rugby team Fiji match Lyon lineup, Digi Mart USA News (Lyon, France): France’s rugby team is three days away from its return to action, with Saturday’s match against Fiji at 9:10 p.m. local time in Lyon marking the start of the second half of the Nations Championship.
According to the publisher, Florian Verhaeghe is expected to start in the second row and Sipili Falatea at right prop. Verhaeghe missed the first week of preparation with a psoas injury and is set to return after a strong summer in the southern hemisphere.
Verhaeghe is expected to line up alongside Mickaël Guillard, with Tom Staniforth of Castres named on the bench rather than Hugo Auradou of Pau, based on Wednesday’s training bib selection.
There was uncertainty on Tuesday about Paul Boudehent, who was rested in training due to neck pain. He returned to training on Wednesday wearing a white bib, indicating he is a potential starter, and is expected to form the back row with François Cros and Cameron Woki.
Cros, normally a flanker, is expected to move to number eight in the absence of the injured Marko Gazzotti of UBB and Anthony Jelonch of Toulouse. Esteban Capilla of Bayonne, who has yet to earn a cap, will have to wait for his international debut.
Fabien Galthié is expected to keep the Toulouse halfback pairing of Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack. Théo Attissogbe and Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang of Pau are expected to form the back three alongside Louis Bielle-Biarrey of UBB.
In midfield, Yoram Moefana of UBB will partner Toulouse’s Kalvin Gourgues.
Several returning players are expected on the bench, including Clermont prop Régis Montagne, preferred to Thomas Laclayat of Pau, and Charles Ollivon of Toulon, a versatile second- or third-row forward.
The official France lineup will be announced Thursday at 10 a.m., one hour earlier than originally scheduled, because the team train to Lyon has been moved forward.
