France rugby squad reservists and released players for Fiji match, Digi Mart USA News (France): The French national rugby team begins its international season this Saturday, when the Blues face Fiji in the Nations Championship. After announcing the starting lineup, head coach Fabien Galthié also revealed the names of five additional players who will remain with the group until the last moment in case of a late withdrawal.
The reserves are Guillaume Cramont, Thomas Laclayat, Grégory Alldritt, Paul Graou and Axel Despérès. They will be in the stands and will not be able to return to their clubs for the first real club match, Round 9 of the Top 14 scheduled for this weekend.
This is bad news for Ugo Mola, who is already without Antoine Dupont and will have to rely on young players to face Clermont, with Simon Daroque likely to start.
The released players include Rodrigue Neti (Toulouse), Hugo Auradou (Pau), Charles Kante Samba (La Rochelle), Tyler Duguid (MHR), Oscar Jegou (La Rochelle, injured), Antoine Déliance (LOU), Louis Le Brun (CO), Léon Darricarrère (Clermont), Nicolas Depoortère (UBB), Tani Vili (Stade Français), Mathis Ferté (RCT), Théo Forner (Toulon), Damian Penaud (UBB) and Léo Barré (Stade Français).
Penaud and Depoortère return to the UBB, which recovers both players for its club schedule.
