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France name squad ahead of November Tests
By Alex Fisher
Mathieu Bastareaud has been recalled to the France squad for the first time in over two years for the upcoming internationals with New Zealand.
The centre has not featured for his country since their 62-13 quarter-final defeat to the All Blacks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
However, his form for Toulon has caught the eye of coach Guy Noves and earned a place in 32-man squad for the matches next month.
As well as the returning Bastareaud, there are also eight uncapped players in Noves' squad, including Toulon trio Anthony Belleau, Geoffrey Doumayrou and Felix Lambey.
Captain Guilhem Guirado will again lead Les Blues, with the likes of Louis Picamoles, Francois Trinh-Duc and Teddy Thomas also included.
France host the world champions on November 11 in Paris, before facing them again three days later in Lyon – although Noves will have a different squad for the latter.
That will include players not used in the first match, and 14 others – including Maxine Machenaud and Yoann Maestri.
After facing the All Blacks, Noves' men face South Africa and Japan, with the squads for these two matches yet to be confirmed.
France: Mathieu Bastareaud, Anthony Belleau, Judicael Cancoriet, Raphael Chaume, Geoffrey Doumayrou, Nans Ducuing, Antoine Dupont, Paul Gabrillagues, Kevin Gourdon, Antoine Guillamon, Guilhem Guirado, Yoann Huget, Anthony Jelonch, Daniel Kotze, Gabriel Lacroix, Felix Lambey, Remi Lamerat, Clement Maynadier, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Damian Penaud, Louis Picamoles, Jefferson Poirot, Baptiste Serin, Rabah Slimani, Scott Spedding, Roman Taofifenua, Marco Tauleigne, Thomas Teddy, Christopher Tolofua, Francois Trinh-Duc, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Virimi Vakatawa.
Additional players for Lyon fixture vs All Blacks: Hugo Bonneval, Camille Chat, Henry Chavancy, Gael Fickou, Malik Hamadache, Paul Jedrasiak, Bernard Le Roux, Yann Lesgourgues, Sekou Macalou, Maxime Machenaud, Yoann Maestri, Jules Plisson, Lucas Pointud, Dany Priso
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Latest Comments
But he chose rightly or wrongly to play for Tonga. If he wanted to play for the ABs why didn’t he hold off?
Go to comments“A succession of recent ex-players going straight back into the game as coaches in their early 40’s would prob be enough to kill it stone-dead. Innovation would die a death.”
Would it? I do think one of the major differences between rugby and most other sports - which we’ve been overlooking - is the degree to which players are expected to lead team meetings & analysis sessions and the like. Someone like Owen Farrell has basically been an assistant coach already for ten years - and he’s been so under a variety of different head coaches with different expectations and playing styles.
“The most interesting ppl I have met in the game have all coached well into their sixties and they value the time and opportunity they have had to reflect and therefore innovate in the game. That’s based on their ability to compare and contrast between multiple eras.”
I don’t doubt that that’s true. But having interesting insights doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be the best able to inspire a team, or the best at managing the backroom staff.
“Wayne Smith winning the WWC in his mid sixties three years ago prob means nothing to you but it meant a lot to him. It took him back to the roots of is own coaching journey.”
I don’t doubt that! But I don’t think coaches should be hired on the basis that it means a lot to them.
“The likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Wayne Bennett and Andy Reid all have a tale to tell. You should open your ears and listen to it!”
I agree! Never have I ever suggested otherwise!
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