Kumamoto (Japan) (AFP)

He finally has his chance: N.2 to N.3 to the position of scrum half of the XV of France since the start of the World Cup in Japan, Baptiste Serin was tenured Thursday to face Tonga Sunday (09h45 French ) in Kumamoto (south), where Guilhem Guirado will be replaced as captain by Jefferson Poirot.

Serin (25, 31 sel.) Was preferred to Antoine Dupont, who formed the hinge with Romain Ntamack against Argentina in opening (23-21), to accompany the young Toulouse on Sunday for this third match of the World Cup.

His excellent start on Wednesday against the United States (33-9), replacing Maxime Machenaud in Fukuoka, has obviously pushed the coach Jacques Brunel to give him his chance to enter for the first time since November 2018 and a defeat against Fiji at the Stade de France (21-14). Serin boosted the game of the Blues and scored the fourth try.

Substitute of Dupont during the three preparation matches, Serin had seen Machenaud pass him since the arrival in Japan.

If Serin had only come into play against the Americans, four players started will chained a second tenure in the space of four days: Camille Chat, preferred tailgating in Guirado, the second line Paul Gabrillagues, winger Alivereti Raka and the Sofiane Guitoune center.

In the absence of Guirado, the pillar Jefferson Poirot will be captain of this starting XV, whose substitutes will be known Friday.

This quintet (Serin, Cat, Gabrillagues, Raka, Guitoune) will be accompanied by ten players against the Pumas before being spared, on the bench or out of group, against the United States.

Thus, Rabah Slimani and Poirot will support Chat in the front line, Sebastien Vahaamahina will form the hitch a notch higher with Gabrillagues, while the third line holder against the Pumas was renewed. It is composed of Grégory Alldritt, supported by Charles Ollivon and Wenceslas Lauret.

Behind, in addition to Ntamack, the coach recalled Virimi Vakatawa in the center, Damian Penaud on a wing and Maxime Médard in the back. In all, Jacques Brunel made eleven changes in the starting XV.

The starting XV (substitutes not communicated by the Federation): Médard - Penaud, Vakatawa, Guitoune, Raka - (o) Ntamack, (m) Serin - Ollivon, Alldritt, Lauret - Vahaamahina, Gabrillagues - Slimani, Cat, Poirot (cap )

© 2019 AFP