Former captain Antoine Dupont back with France for autumn rugby tests

FILE - France’s Antoine Dupont, left, challenges for the ball during the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal match between France and South Africa at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)

PARIS (AP) — Fresh from winning the Olympic rugby sevens title this summer on home soil, France scrumhalf Antoine Dupont has been named in Fabien Galthié’s squad for the autumn tests.

National team coach Galthié also selected eight uncapped players on Wednesday in his group of 42. France will take on Japan, New Zealand and Argentina next month.

Dupont has not played for the France XV since the World Cup quarterfinal loss to South Africa in October last year. The mercurial playmaker skipped the Six Nations and switched his attention from the traditional 15s format to rugby sevens in March to chase his once-in-a-lifetime chance to win an Olympic gold medal on home soil.

It’s unclear whether former captain Dupont will regain the armband.

Notable absentees include injured Toulouse hooker Julien Marchand and Romain Ntamack, who is recovering from a torn calf muscle. Both men could, however, join the team at a later stage. Prop Cyril Baille and center Nicolas Depoortere are also unavailable because of injuries.

Among the eight uncapped players — some have already taken part in training sessions under Galthié — is Toulouse lock Joshua Brennan, the son of Ireland international Trevor Brennan.

Aged 22, Joshua Brennan previously played for the U20 France team and captained all the youth selections.

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France:

Forwards: Grégory Aldritt (Stade Rochelais), Uini Atonio (Stade Rochelais), Gaëtan Barlot (Castres Olympique), Pierre Bochaton (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Paul Boudehent (Stade Rochelais), Joshua Brennan (Stade Toulousain), Georges-Henri Colombe (Stade Rochelais), François Cros (Stade Toulousain), Thibaud Flament (Stade Toulousain), Marko Gazzotti (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Jean-Baptiste Gros (RC Toulon), Mickaël Guillard (Lyon OU Rugby), Anthony Jelonch (Stade Toulousain), Maxime Lamothe (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Peato Mauvaka (Stade Toulousain), Emmanuel Meafou (Stade Toulousain), Lenni Nouchi (Montpellier Hérault Rugby), Charles Ollivon (RC Toulon), Alexandre Roumat (Stade Toulousain), Romain Taofifenua (Racing 92), Sébastien Taofifenua (Lyon OU Rugby), Tevita Tatafu (Aviron Bayonnais), Reda Wardi (Stade Rochelais).

Backs: Théo Attissogbe (Section Paloise), Léo Barré (Stade Français), Léo Berdeu (Lyon OU Rugby), Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Romain Buros (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Paul Costes (Stade Toulousain), Jonathan Danty (Stade Rochelais), Antoine Dupont (Stade Toulousain), Gaël Fickou (Racing 92), Antoine Frisch (RC Toulon), Émilien Gailleton (Section Paloise), Mathieu Jalibert (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Nolann Le Garrec (Racing 92), Matthis Lebel (Stade Toulousain), Maxime Lucu (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Yoram Moefana (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Damian Penaud (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Thomas Ramos (Stade Toulousain), Gabin Villière (RC Toulon).

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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

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