Europe 1 with AFP 6:39 p.m., March 8, 2023

Hard blow for the XV of France three days before the match against England, on the occasion of the fourth day of the Six Nations Tournament.

François Cros and Sipili Falatea seem on their way to being aligned from the start in this decisive Crunch for the final classification of the Tournament.

The Blues will surely have to do without one of their executives.

Bordeaux-Bègles opener Matthieu Jalibert, hit in the left ankle during Wednesday's session, is uncertain for the trip to London.

The third line François Cros and the right pillar Sipili Falatea seem on their way to start the meeting of the XV of France in England, Saturday, on behalf of the fourth day of the Six Nations Tournament.

The Blues remain one victory against Scotland and still have a slight hope of winning the Tournament.

Cros (28 years old, 18 caps) and Falatea (25 years old, 10 caps) come respectively to replace Anthony Jelonch, injured, and Mohamed Haouas, suspended for a whim on a clearing during the match won against Scotland (32- 31) fifteen days ago.

The Toulousain had not started since the 2022 Six Nations Tournament and a 25-13 success on March 19 against… England.

Falatea, he would live his first tenure since the summer tour in Australia.

He was a substitute in the first three matches of the 2023 Tournament.

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Status quo

In the three-quarters, except for a last-minute blow, no change is to be expected, with a rear triangle made up of Toulouse's Thomas Ramos in 15, Clermontois Damian Penaud and Lyonnais Ethan Dumortier on the wings.

The duo Gaël Fickou and Yoram Moefana could be renewed for the fourth time in a row.

The 100% Toulouse hinge, formed by Antoine Dupont at the scrum and Romain Ntamack at the opening, should be aligned together for the twenty-fifth time.

Victim of a rupture of the posterior cruciate ligament at the end of December, the center of La Rochelle Jonathan Danty, returned to competition more quickly than expected, should take place on the bench, alongside the scrum half of Bordeaux-Bègles Maxime Lucu.

Since 2020 and the arrival of Fabien Galthié at the head of the XV of France, the Blues have beaten the XV of the Rose at the Stade de France at the opening of the 2020 Tournament (24-17) then in 2022 (25-13).

But they remain on two losses in England (22-19 after extra time in December 2020 then 23-20 in March 2021).