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France name team for Fiji
By Alex Fisher
Benjamin Fall and Rabah Slimani have been recalled to France's starting XV for this weekend's clash with Fiji in Paris.
France ended their five-game losing run against Argentina last weekend and the majority of that team retain their places in Jacques Brunel's side.
Two-try hero Teddy Thomas starts on the right wing, while scrum-half Baptiste Serin will look to repeat his accuracy from the tee after kicking 13 points against the Pumas.
Fall comes into the backline in place of Maxime Medard, while Slimani – who wins his 50th cap – slots in at tighthead prop alongside captain Guilhem Guirado and Jefferson Poirot.
Brunel also makes changes in the replacements with Julien Marchard and Demba Bamba set to make their Test debuts, the duo joined by Felix Lambey, Kelian Galletier and Geoffrey Doumayrou on the bench.
France: Benjamin Fall, Teddy Thomas, Mathieu Bastareaud, Gael Fickou, Yoann Huget, Camille Lopez, Baptiste Serin; Jefferson Poirot, Guilhem Guirado, Rabah Slimani, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Yoan Maestri, Wenceslas Lauret, Arthur Iturria, Louis Picamoles
Replacements: Julien Marchand, Dany Priso, Demba Bamba, Felix Lambey, Kelian Galletier, Antoine Dupont, Anthony Belleau, Geoffrey Doumayrou
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Latest Comments
I agree.
I’d like to know what constitutes a 208 week ban though?
Must the eyeball be dislodged? Hanging by a vein?
Go to commentsAlso a Bristol fan and echo your sentiments.
I love watching Bristol but their approach will only get them so far I think. Exeter played like this when they first got promoted to the prem and had intermittent success, it wasn't until they wised up and played a more balanced game that they became a consistently top side.
I really want Bristol to continue playing this brand of rugby and I don't mind them running it from under their posts but I don't think they need to do it every single time. They need to be just a little bit more selective about when and where on the pitch they play. Every game they put themselves under so much needless pressure by turning the ball over under their posts trying to do kamikaze moves when it's not required. By all means run it from your goal line if there is a chance for a counter attack, we all want to see Bristol running in 100m tries from under their posts but I think until they learn to do it and when to be pragmatic, they are unlikely to win the premiership.
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