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France call up seven for Springboks clash as Ntamack ruled out
France have added seven players to their 42-man squad for this week’s Nations Championship match against South Africa, after a 54-17 win over Fiji in Lyon. The changes include several players returning from injury or long absences, while fly-half Romain Ntamack has been ruled out with a shoulder injury.
Teddy Thomas returns after five years away from the squad, having last earned one of his 28 caps in July 2021. Gaël Fickou is back with 98 caps, while hooker Julien Marchand and winger Gaël Dréan have returned to competitive action after injuries; Dréan underwent cardiac surgery in June. Pau players Grégoire Arfeuil and Loïc Credoz are also called up, and Louis Carbonel replaces Ntamack.
In short
- France have called up seven players for the South Africa match.
- Teddy Thomas returns to the squad after five years.
- Louis Carbonel replaces injured fly-half Romain Ntamack.
Explained simply
France and South Africa are national rugby union teams, and their match is part of the Nations Championship, an international competition involving leading rugby nations. France’s squad is drawn from players at clubs across the country; a call-up means a player has been selected to join the national team group.
Caps count how many times a player has appeared for their country. Teddy Thomas and Gaël Fickou bring international experience, while several others are returning after injury or a long absence. Romain Ntamack is a fly-half, a position that helps direct attacks and kick for territory; Louis Carbonel has been selected in his place.
The match matters because it brings two major rugby sides together in a competition that tests them against international opposition. Squad changes can affect the options available to France, including who is fit to play and how the team is organised.