Dupont absent as Galthié names 33-man France squad for southern hemisphere tour

Fabien Galthié has named a 33-man France squad for their Nations Championship tour against New Zealand, Australia and Japan next month, with Six Nations player of the Championship Louis Bielle-Biarrey rested and Antoine Dupont’s inclusion still pending the Top 14 final.

The 23-year-old Bielle-Biarrey, who also claimed the Investec player of the year award this season, has been given a summer break as widely anticipated. Several of his Bordeaux-Bègle team-mates have been rewarded for their club form, however, with scrum-half Maxime Lucu and fly-half Matthieu Jalibert among the headline inclusions. Damian Penaud also returns to the Test fold after being overlooked for the Six Nations.

Dupont’s absence from the list is not yet definitive. France have not announced any players from Toulouse or Montpellier ahead of Saturday’s Top 14 final between the two clubs at the Stade de France, and it has been widely reported that the scrum-half will travel south with Les Bleus next month. Any player who features in the final will, however, miss the opening fixture against New Zealand in Christchurch on 4 July.

Grégory Alldritt remains absent, continuing a surprise omission that began when Galthié named the squad that retained the Six Nations title earlier this year.

Elsewhere, former Wallaby winger Suliasi Vunivalu, released by La Rochelle, is reportedly set to return to rugby league with Super League club Hull.

France squad

Forwards: Moses Alo-Emile, Hugo Auradou, Demba Bamba, Pierre Bochaton, Esteban Capilla, Sipili Falatea, Marko Gazzotti, Mickaël Guillard, Oscar Jegou, Maxime Lamothe, Barnabé Massa, Temo Matiu, Régis Montagne, Boris Palu, Jefferson Poirot, Thomas Staniforth, Tevita Tatafu, Killian Tixeront, Reda Wardi.

Backs: Théo Attissogbe, Fabien Brau-Boirie, Nicolas Depoortere, Mathis Ferté, Théo Forner, Émilien Gailleton, Aaron Grandidier Nkanang, Antoine Hastoy, Matthieu Jalibert, Nolann Le Garrec, Maxime Lucu, Yoram Moefana, Damian Penaud, Max Spring.