Rare image of Raka who does not drop a ball -

Christophe Ena / AP / SIPA

The XV of France, deprived of a typical team to challenge England on Sunday in London in the final of the Autumn Nations Cup, has the chance to benefit from young players "impressive in their capacity for assimilation", a estimated coach Fabien Galthié on Friday in Marcoussis.

Players "bluffing in their capacity for assimilation"

The English media spoke of a "farce" because the France team can only field a team twice or even ter?

"The players have been exemplary in their preparation and largely deserve their future cape," replied Blues manager Raphael Ibanez.

"We are not going to let it go," added the former international hooker (98 caps).

The XV de la Rose will align its typical team which culminates in more than 800 selections, when the most capped of the remodeled XV of France, the back Brice Dulin, has 30.

A farce seen from England

“Seen from abroad this final cannot be experienced differently.

We can obviously understand them and I would almost say that, on this one, the English are right.

The two national selections are not on the same footing ”, however qualified Ibanez by evoking the“ deal ”concluded with the clubs which accepted the internationals for three match sheets maximum during the autumn period.

The young French (24 years old and 5 selections of average), however, are however “bluffing in their capacity of assimilation” in spite of their lack of collective experience, underlined the coach Fabien Galthié.

"They are sponges".

Starting XV against England: Dulin - Raka, Moefana, Danty, Villière - (o) Jalibert, (m) Couilloud (cap.) - Jelonch, Tolofua, Woki - Pesenti, Geraci - Aldegheri, Bourgarit, Kolingar

Substitutes: Mauvaka, Neti, Atonio, Ducat, Macalou, Bézy, Carbonel, Barassi

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