XV de France: the Blues at full strength nine days before the start of the Tournament, with Ramos at the back and Ntamack at fly-half

Thomas Ramos au poste d’arrière prépare le Tournoi des XI Nations EPA – YOAN VALAT

The 42 Bleus selected to prepare for the Six Nations Tournament took part in training on Wednesday in Marcoussis, with Thomas Ramos at full-back and Romain Ntamack at fly-half, nine days before facing Wales.

Seventeen months after his last match for France due to injuries, Ntamack (25 years old, 37 caps) played at fly-half with a bib dedicated to starters, while Ramos, who replaced him in November, returned to his favourite position at the back. Ntamack was associated with the hinge with scrum-half and captain of the Blues Antoine Dupont, returned from Rome where he participated on Tuesday in the official launch of the Tournament with the coach Fabien Galthié.

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On Tuesday, only a small group of 16 players took part in training against the U20s, the bulk of the troops having been left to rest after playing on Sunday in the Champions Cup with Bordeaux, Toulouse or Toulon.

In the centre, Bordeaux-Béglais Yoram Moefana was among the starters, alongside Toulouse's Pierre-Louis Barassi (26 years old, 3 selections), in great form at the moment and finally spared from injuries. In the front row, Toulon left pillar Jean-Baptiste Gros, who has only played one match since his hamstring injury at the end of November against Argentina, should also be a starter, rather than his teammate Dany Priso or Toulouse's Cyril Baille, who is back from a serious ankle injury.

In the absence of Louis-Bielle Biarrey, who suffered from dizziness on Sunday and whose return is expected this week, Toulon's Gabin Villière has taken a place on one wing, with Damian Penaud occupying the other.

Meafou preserved

Toulouse's second row Emmanuel Meafou has been preserved, not taking part in certain sequences, but has trained well. “It's a small injury from last Sunday's match (in the Champions Cup against Leicester, Editor's note) that he is currently sorting out, it's only to protect him from contact” declared the coach of the Blues' conquest, Laurent Sempéré, who also praised the physical form of the colossal Toulousain, who is very sharp.

“He has worked hard on himself since this summer. We had started to feel it on the tour, he has continued to make these efforts” declared Sempéré. “His size allows him to do quite extraordinary things, so the fitter he is, the more he can to express oneself.” The first match of the Tournament for the XV of France will take place on January 31 at the Stade de France against Wales.