France have named an Under-20s team packed with Top 14 experience as they look to go one better than last year in the Under-20s Six Nations.
Les Bleuets finished second in 2022, missing out on a Grand Slam and the title by the narrowest of margins, with their only loss coming to a last-minute penalty against eventual champions Ireland.
They then finished third in the Under-20s Summer Series with a number of players involved back in the 36-man squad named by Sébastien Calvet.
France will be able to call on the likes of second row Hugo Auradou and No.8 Brent Liufau, both of whom have featured regularly this season for Pau, while Bordeaux-Bègles centre Nicolas Depoortere and Racing 92 winger Enzo Benmegal will also be ones to watch.
And even with standout duo Emilien Gailleton and Louis Bielle-Biarrey called up to the senior squad, and Clermont scrum-half Baptiste Jauneau initially needed on club duty, Calvet is excited at the selection he has named.
He said: “After using 43 players in the Six Nations last season, we have decided to call up 36 players to finalise our preparation for the Championship. Our squad, like last season, will train with the senior France team as training partners, a key aspect of the succession plan in the France team.
“We will train in Capbreton before going to Treviso to kick off our competition against an Italy team who will be waiting expectantly after the match in Rome at the start of the month.
“In the context of the progression of our players, we should note the absences of some players like Baptiste Jauneau, who for the first game will be left to his club.
“That is also true of Emilien Gailleton and Louis Bielle-Biarrey who, if they are not kept by the France team, will go back to their clubs. In the name of all the FFR’s development programme, I’d like to congratulate them for their inclusion in the 42-man squad for the France team.”
France squad for the Under-20s Six Nations
AFFANE Zacharie (Union Bordeaux-Bègles) ARFEUIL Grégoire (Section Paloise) ATTISOGBE Théo (Section Paloise) AURADOU Hugo (Section Paloise) BENMEGAL Enzo (Racing 92) CASTRO FERREIRA Mathis (Stade Toulousain) CHINARRO Bastien (USA Perpignan) COSTES Paul (Stade Toulousain) DAMOND Pierre (RC Toulon) DEPOORTERE Nicolas (Union Bordeaux-Bègles) DESPERES Axel (Section Paloise) DROUET Léo (Provence Rugby) FALL Yerim (ASM Clermont Auvergne) GAMBINI Charly (Provence Rugby) GAZZOTTI Marko (FC Grenoble Rugby) JEGOU Oscar (Stade Rochelais) JOUANNY Lomig (Stade Toulousain) JULIEN Lino (Racing 92) LACOMBRE Thomas (Stade Toulousain) LIUFAU Brent (Section Paloise) MASSA Barnabé (FC Grenoble Rugby) MATHIRON Arthur (Lyon OU) MOUSTIN Maël (Union Bordeaux-Bègles) NOUCHI Lenni (Montpellier HR) PARROU Hugo (Section Paloise) PENVERNE Louis (Stade Rochelais) RAFFY Tom (CA Brive) REUS Hugo (Stade Rochelais) SENTUBERY Clément (Stade Toulousain) SIMUTOGA Valentin (ASM Clermont Auvergne) SOUVERBIE Thomas (Section Paloise) TABAROT Luca (Montpellier HR) TAREL Simon (Provence Rugby) TIMO Andy (RC Massy Essonne) TROUILLOUD Hugo (FC Grenoble Rugby) ZAMORA Lucas (Stade Rochelais)
