Galthié names youthful France squad to face All Blacks in Nations Championship opener

Fabien Galthié has named a youthful France squad for the opening round of the inaugural Nations Championship, with the All Blacks waiting at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch.

Lock Tom Staniforth is in line for a Test debut at No.5, bringing relevant southern-hemisphere experience after 55 Super Rugby appearances for the Waratahs and Brumbies. He will partner 22-year-old Hugo Auradou in the second row, continuing France’s trend of blooding young forwards at the highest level.

In the front row, Jefferson Poirot and Demba Bamba provide experience in the tight five alongside Maxime Lamonthe, who has been named for his first Test start. The back row of Pierre Bochaton, Oscar Jegou and Marko Gazzotti carries an average age of just 23.

The backline blends established quality with emerging talent. Bordeaux halfbacks Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert form the spine, with club teammate Yoram Moefana slotting in at inside centre. Pau’s Fabien Brau-Boirie, just 20 years old and capped twice, starts alongside Moefana at 13.

The outside backs see Theo Attissogbe on the left wing, Damian Penaud on the right, and Max Spring at fullback. The replacements bench includes Nolann Le Garrec, Antoine Hastoy and Nicolas Depoortere among the backs.

The match marks the first fixture of the Nations Championship, a new international competition, and presents France with an immediate examination against Dave Rennie’s All Blacks side, which also features two potential debutants in its own starting line-up.