Paris (AFP)
The French Rugby Federation on Thursday formalized the dates for the summer tour of the XV of France in Australia with three matches against the Wallabies on July 7, 13 and 17.
"After discussions and validation by the competent public authorities, the French Rugby Federation is delighted to be able to announce this summer tour of a series of three matches which promises to be of a very high level", explained the president of the FFR Bernard Laporte, quoted in a press release.
The matches will take place on July 7 in Sydney (Cricket Ground), July 13 in Melbourne (AAMI Park) and July 17 in Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium).
The French internationals who will play the Top 14 final scheduled for June 25, will not be able to play the first duel against the Wallabies if a 14-day isolation, linked to the coronavirus, is imposed on them upon their arrival on site.
But they can however play the next two.
This will be the first trip of the XV of France to Australia since the summer tour in 2014, which ended in three defeats for the Blues.
Since then, the French have received the Wallabies twice, during test matches at the Stade de France, in November 2014 (29-26 victory) and in November 2016 (25-23 loss).
It will also be the first confrontations of the XV of France with a selection from the southern hemisphere since the arrival of Fabien Galthié as coach at the end of 2019.
© 2021 AFP