Toulousain Ntamack (22 years old, 20 selections), usual holder at the post of opening half, will thus slide in the center to give way to N.10 of the UBB (22 years old, 12 selections).

The decision to start with such a team trotted in the head of the staff of the Blues for a while but it was facilitated by the absence of two potential holders in the center, Virimi Vakatawa (Racing 92) and Arthur Vincent (Montpellier), as much as by the form of Jalibert (95 points in eight Top 14 matches).

"These two players, for two years, are among the best in the championship. Romain is used to playing at the center with Stade Toulouse, he has a lot of experience. Let's try to put the best players on the field even if it is It is true that injuries have freed up options, ”explained Galthié.

As England or New Zealand are used to, France will therefore line up against the Pumas two professional forerunners.

Evolving in the center is nothing new for Ntamack, who has experienced in this position three of his first four selections of 2019 with the Blues: as holder, in February against Wales, then during the game, in August against in Scotland and in October against the United States.

French internationl Thibaud Flament in training in Marcoussis, November 3, 2021 Anne-Christine POUJOULAT AFP

He also held this position for a long time at the Toulouse Stadium, before being associated with his comrade Antoine Dupont (24 years old, 32 caps) in an XXL hinge, which rolled over Europe and France last season. .

Ntamack and Jalibert have already played together in Blue, the time of nine minutes against Wales (27-23) in the 2020 Six Nations Tournament.

Jaminet scorer, Haouas and Villière back

The other novelty of this first autumn test comes from the globetrotter Thibaud Flament (24 years old), second row of Toulouse with an atypical course, who will honor his first cape replacing Racingman Bernard Le Roux (32 years old, 47 selections).

Born in Paris, Flament played an opening half in Belgium, lived in Asia before leaving to study in England, where he is placed in the second row.

The coach of the XV of France Fabien Galthié in a press conference, November 4, 2021 to Marcoussis Anne-Christine POUJOULAT AFP

But it was in Argentina, during an internship at the French Embassy, ​​that he really began his rugby career, reaching the final of the D1 championship.

Returning across the Channel, he is spotted by the Wasps and succeeds Serge Betsen or Raphaël Ibanez in the ranks of the "Frenchies" of the Coventry club.

Before joining Toulouse, where he won the Top 14, the European Cup and gradually settled into the starting XV of the Rouge et Noir.

And now the Blues.

Flament will not be lost since six other Toulouse players will start this meeting: the pillar Cyril Baille, the hooker Julien Marchand, the third lines Anthony Jelonch and François Cros, the scrum half and captain Antoine Dupont and the center Romain Ntamack.

We must also add hooker Petao Mauvaka, a substitute at kick-off.

The UBB, current leader of the Top 14, has three representatives with the opener Matthieu Jalibert and the third row Cameron Woki (22 years old, 8 caps), starting, and the opener Maxime Lucu (28 years, 0 selection), replacing .

French international Antoine Dupont in training in Marcoussis, November 3, 2021 Anne-Christine POUJOULAT AFP

Finally, the back of Perpignan Melvyn Jaminet (22 years old, 3 caps), described as "a nugget" by Galthié at the end of the tour in Australia, will have to confirm his good performances.

It is besides, him, who will be the striker of the Blues.

In total, this team has 17 selections and 25 years of average.

Enough to scratch the Pumas?

© 2021 AFP