Dupont back to skipper France against Japan

Antoine Dupont will make his return to the France team as captain for Saturday's Test against Japan after sitting out the last 13 months of international duty.

Dupont's last run-out in blue at 15s came in the morale-denting Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat by eventual champions South Africa a little over a year ago. 

In the 13 months since that loss on home soil, the 27-year-old scrum-half has helped the France sevens team to an Olympic gold medal as well as claiming a French Top 14 and Champions Cup double with club Toulouse.

Dupont will partner Toulouse teammate Thomas Ramos at half-back, the latter was preferred over Matthieu Jalibert to start at fly-half.

Ramos, who normally plays full-back for his club, replaced Jalibert in the number 10 shirt for matches against England and Wales last year.

There is a debut for Bayonne prop Tevita Tatafu, while Gael Fickou drops to the bench for the first time since 2019. Yoram Moefana and Emilien Gailleton are instead named in midfield.

Galthie insisted that not starting Fickou, the long-time defensive leader who has been a shoo-in for his last 48 matches, was not a slight.

"Being named in the 23-man squad is not a downgrade," the former international scrum-half said.

"There is no comfort zone in the France team."