Inexperienced France Team Named To Face The Wallabies

France head coach Fabien Galthié has named an inexperienced side to face Australia in their opening test match on Wednesday 7 June at Suncorp Stadium (kick-off at 11am BST).

Toulouse-bound flanker Anthony Jelonch captains the side in the #7 jumper, vacated by the injured Charles Ollivon, with second-rower Romain Taofifenua the most experienced member of the matchday 23 with just 24 test caps. 

There are seven debutants in total in the matchday 23 with hooker Gaetan Barlot and fullback Melvyn Jaminet earning their first caps in the starting XV.

Jean-Baptiste Gros and Demba Bamba flank Barlot in the front row with Killian Geraci joining Taofifenua in the second row. Dylan Cretin has a chance to stamp his mark on the #6 jumper with Francois Cros absent from the squad as the pair jostle for the starting role. The pack is completed by the extremely talented and exciting Sekou Macalou who earns just his fourth test cap.

Louis Carbonel takes on the #10 jumper as he links up with Baptiste Couilloud as the starting halfbacks while Jonathan Danty and Arthur Vincent provide a formidable threat in the midfield. Galthié has regular starters Gabin Villiere and Damian Penaud on the wings with Teddy Thomas missing out on the side. Penaud is the most capped backline player featuring in his 23 test with Vincent in second with 12.

Hooker Anthony Etrillard is joined on the bench by fellow debutants Quentin Walcker and Sipili Falatea as cover for the front row. Galthié has opted for a 6-2 split in favour of the forwards with Baptiste Pesenti set to earn his third cap with a potential debut for fellow second-rower Florent Vanverberghe. Cameron Woki completes the forward options on the bench while there is a potential debut for Racing 92 scrumhalf Teddy Iribaren. Anthony Bouthier finalizes the bench in the 23 jumper.