Galthie's squad will need to step up

AFTER all the fuss from players and New Zealand Rugby, after the negotiations between union and league bosses, after the hints that maybe, this time - the rules would be bent to allow more regular France first-choice players to tour, there was in the end, a particular and utterly predictable inevitability about Les Bleus’ squad announcement for the three-Test July tour of New Zealand.

- JAMES HARRINGTON

Or, more accurately, the squad for the first Test in Dunedin next Saturday. Five more players from last night's Top 14 finalists were due to fly out after the showpiece match, along with Leo Barre, who remained at Marcoussis for treatment to a niggling injury this week - they will be available from the second Test in Wellington.

Injuries permitting, those five called-up finalists were likely to be Josh Brennan and Pierre-Louis Barassi, from Toulouse; alongside Bordeaux’s Nicolas Depoortere, Pierre Bochaton and Marko Gazzotti.

Of the 37 originally selected, nine were part of the 2025 Six Nations-winning squads. Only Lyon lock/back row hybrid Mickael Guillard was involved in all five games — he came off the bench in the first two games, before stepping up to the starting line-up for the final three. Lock Hugo Auradou played four times; scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec was involved in three matches; prop Georges-Henri Colombe and winger Théo Attissogbe both featured twice. Full-back Barre, along with second row Romain Taofifenua, and centres Gael Fickou and Emilien Gailleton all played one game.

Barassi, when he teams up with the squad, will take the 2025 Six Nations vets’ total into double figures. It’s a thoroughly deserved tour call-up for the Toulouse centre, who was once described as 'the future of France centres' by former Lyon team-mate Carl Fearns. He’s finally realising that potential.