Ugo Hermet, younger brother of France Women’s captain Gaëlle Hermet, is one of 26 players named as part of the French squad for the 2019 U18 Six Nations Festival later this month.
Gaëlle led France to a Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam in 2018 before skippering them again for the third-place finish in this year’s Championship and her younger brother will now represent Les Bleuets in the ten-day Festival hosted in England.
All six countries will play three games during the U18 Six Nations Festival, with the first round of fixtures taking place at Hartpury College’s Gillman’s Ground on Saturday April 13.
Matchday two is at Sixways Stadium the following Wednesday, before Kingsholm Stadium – home of Gloucester – hosts the finale on Sunday April 21.
Scotland triumphed at the inaugural Festival last year as the only side to win each of their three fixtures but France avoid the defending champions in 2019 as they open up against Ireland before clashes with Italy and England.
In addition to Hermet, a number of other players in Gérald Bastide’s squad come from rugby families with second-rower Joshua Brennan – son of ex-Ireland international Trevor Brennan and younger brother of France U20’s prop Dan Brennan – and fly-half Edgar Retière, who is the brother of La Rochelle winger Arthur, both included.
Another fly-half, Gabin Michet, captained France U18s during their recent 34-22 win over Italy and the squad will be hoping to at least match last year’s effort of two wins from three in the West Country.
French U18 squad: Martin Augeix (SU Agen, Académie Agen), Maxime Baudonne (Racing 92, Académie Lakanal), Alexandre Borie (Union Bordeaux Bègles, Académie Bordeaux), Joshua Brennan (Stade Toulousain, Académie Toulouse), Enzo Camilleri (FC Grenoble), Maxence Darthou (CA Brive Corrèze), Thibault Debaes (Section Paloise), Simon Desert (US Carcassonne, Académie Béziers), Nathan Farissier (Lyon OU), Matthias Halagahu (RC Toulon), Ugo Hermet (Castres Olympique), Théo Idjellidaine (Stade Toulousain, Académie Toulouse), Sacha Idoumi (ABCD XV, Académie Dijon), Yann Lagane (CA Brive Corrèze, Académie Brive), Nolan Le Garrec (Racing 92, Académie Lakanal), Paul Mallez (ABCD XV, Académie Dijon), Jules Margarit (Lyon OU, Académie Lyon), Gabin Michet (AS Clermont Auvergne, Académie Clermont-Ferrand), Alfred Parisien (Lyon OU), Thomas Ployet (Stade Rochelais, Académie La Rochelle), Edgar Retière (ABCD XV, Académie Dijon), Killian Tixeront (AS Clermont Auvergne, Académie Clermont-Ferrand), Aymeric Tronc (CA Brive Corrèze, Académie Brive), Noé Valles (Union Bordeaux Bègles, Académie Bordeaux), Matthéo Ventura (Lyon OU), Matthias Victor Haddad (Stade Rochelais, Académie La Rochelle)
2019 U18 Six Nations Festival fixtures
Matchday one – Saturday 13 April KO Gillman’s Ground, Gloucester 12:00 England v Wales 14:30 Ireland v France 17:00 Scotland v Italy
Matchday two – Wednesday 17 April KO Sixways Stadium, Worcester 11:00 France v Italy 13:30 Ireland v England 16:00 Wales v Scotland
Matchday three – Sunday 21 April KO Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester 11:00 Scotland v Ireland 13.30 England v France 16:00 Italy v Wales
