France name nine uncapped players for November Tests
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Paris (AFP) –
France head coach Fabien Galthie named nine uncapped players on Monday in his squad for the November Tests.
Les Bleus host Argentina on November 6, Georgia on November 14 and New Zealand six days later.
Bordeaux-Begles prop Thierry Paiva, Toulouse lock Thibaud Flament, Castres second-row Florent Vanverberghe, Montpellier forward Florian Verhaeghe are the new faces in the pack.
Paiva's club team-mates in scrum-half Maxime Lucu and full-back Romain Buros as well as Racing 92 winger Donovan Taofifenua, Toulouse youngster Matthis Lebel and Clermont centre Tana Vili are the rookies among the backs.
Captain Charles Ollivon is missing with a long-term knee injury with centre Gael Fickou, hooker Julian Marchand, scrum-half Antoine Dupont, No. 8 Gregory Alldritt as well as flanker Anthony Jelonch, who stood-in during July's series with Australia, as the possible replacements.
The stand-in captain is expected to be named next week after Ollivon announces it to the squad late on Sunday.
Second-choice scrum-half Baptiste Serin is also absent, but with a shoulder issue, as is tight-head prop Mohamed Haouas, who has a thigh problem.
Racing 92 hooker Camille Chat and Toulon fly-half Louis Carbonel are ommitted with Castres' Gaetan Barlot and Pau's Antoine Hastoy taking their places.
France squad:
Backs (19)
Romain Buros, Brice Dulin, Melvyn Jaminet, Thomas Ramos; Gabin Villiere, Damian Penaud, Matthis Lebel, Donovan Taofifenua; Gael Fickou, Virimi Vakatawa, Yoram Moefana, Jonathan Danty, Tani Vili; Romain Ntamack, Matthieu Jalibert, Antoine Hastoy; Antoine Dupont, Baptiste Couilloud, Maxime Lucu
Forwards (23)
Gregory Alldritt, Anthony Jelonch, Cameron Woki, Dylan Cretin, Francois Cros, Sekou Macalou, Ibrahim Diallo; Paul Willemse, Bernard Le Roux, Romain Taofifenua, Thibaud Flament, Killian Geraci, Florent Vanverberghe, Florian Verhaeghe; Demba Bamba, Wilfrid Hounkpatin, Uini Atonio, Julian Marchand, Peato Mauvaka, Gaetan Barlot, Cyril Baille, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Thierry Paiva
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