Galthie prepares to spring surprises

WHITE smoke of a sort was spotted this week, heralding FFR and LNR agreement on tweaks to the player release deal for this July’s tour of New Zealand. Habemus pactum, you might say, if you felt so inclined.

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Not everything about the trumpeted agreement is new. Fabien Galthie can, as per the original September 2024 announcement, select a squad of 42 players, most of whom had little or no playing time during this year’s Six Nations.

But — and this is new— he can also select up to five players from the two sides that make the Top 14 final, after discussions with those clubs’ coaches, and taking into account their playing time across the season.

Those players involved in the Top 14 final, on June 28, will join up with the France squad in New Zealand in time for selection for the second and third Tests.

Tellingly, perhaps, the twin announcements from the FFR and LNR did not specify what any upper limit on playing time might actually be.

Galthie has, however, repeatedly referenced a sliding scale based on players’ age. And he told Midi Olympique this week: “Beyond 25 matchdays and 2,000 minutes played, the factors limiting a player’s performance and development are multiplied. This is a public health issue.”

That seems fairly definitive, at least.

Galthie will start talking to clubs involved in the play-off end of the season from early next week, slowly narrowing down his options over the barrage and semi-final rounds based on which sides make it to the next stage.