Rugby: Rugby-Jelonch back as France ring the changes to face Uruguay

LILLE, France (Reuters) -France head coach Fabien Galthie made 12 changes to the team who beat New Zealand in the World Cup curtain raiser as Anthony Jelonch is making a long-awaited comeback to face Uruguay in Lille on Thursday.

Les Bleus, who are expected to finish top of Pool A after prevailing 27-13 against the All Blacks last Friday, welcome the return of number eight Jelonch for his first cap since he sustained a serious knee injury in February in the Six Nations.

“He needed a lot of willpower, a lot of fighting spirit to be here with us,” Galthie told a press conference on Tuesday.

Jelonch, who underwent surgery in March and will captain the team on Thursday, said he went through periods of ‘doubt’.

“There were moments when I didn’t know if I’d be back in time for the World Cup but I never stopped believing,” he said.

In a total revamp of the third row, Jelonch will start alongside Paul Boudehent and Sekou Macalou while Maxime Lucu takes over from Antoine Dupont at scrumhalf and Antoine Hastoy replaces Matthieu Jalibert at flyhalf.

Melvyn Jaminet, who scored France’s last try against three-time champions New Zealand, starts at fullback and electric young winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey has an opportunity to shine on the right wing.

From the team who started at the Stade de France, only lock Cameron Woki, centre Yoram Moefana and winger Gabin Villiere will be on the Pierre Mauroy stadium field at kickoff.

The whole first row is changed with hooker Paul Bourgarit starting with props Jean-Baptiste Gros and Dorian Aldegheri.

“We’re trying to have everyone involved,” assistant coach William Servat said.

“So when the big matches arrive, all our players will be at their peak.”

Lock Bastien Chalureau, who was handed a six-month suspended prison sentence in 2020 after being found guilty of “acts of violence committed because of the victim’s race or ethnicity”, will be on the bench.

He has appealed the decision and has denied making any racist comments.

France are second in Pool A behind Italy, who claimed a bonus-point win against Namibia, whom Les Bleus will face on Sept. 21 in Marseille before taking on the Azzurri in Lyon on Oct. 6.

While Uruguay, who will start their campaign against France, are 17th in the world rankings, Galthie is not expecting the game to be a walk in the park against a side who beat Fiji at the 2019 World Cup.

“They’re a South American team who are going to fight with a lot of aggressiveness and a lot of energy,” said Galthie.

Team:

15-Melvyn Jaminet, 14-Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 13-Arthur Vincent, 12-Yoram Moefana, 11-Gabin Villiere, 10-Antoine Hastoy, 9-Maxime Lucu, 8-Anthony Jelonch (captain), 7-Sekou Macalou, 6-Paul Boudehent, 5-Romain Taofifenua, 4-Cameron Woki, 3-Dorian Aldegheri, 2-Pierre Bourgarit, 1-Jean-Baptiste Gros

Replacements:

16-Peato Mauvaka 17-Reda Wardi, 18-Sipili Falatea, 19-Bastien Chalureau, 20-Thibaud Flament, 21-François Cros, 22-Baptiste Couilloud, 23-Thomas Ramos.

(Writing by Julien Pretot; Editing by Christian Radnedge)