The aftermath of France’s dour start to the Six Nations, including a humbling to Ireland and a draw with Italy, has continued to overshadow the build-up to Sunday’s trip to Wales.
Head coach Fabien Galthie is being urged to hand new faces a chance with their title hopes all but over.
When the 54-year-old took over in late 2019 he had spent years observing why Les Bleus had underperformed under Philippe Saint-Andre, Guy Noves and Jacques Brunel.
One common theme during the trio’s sorry tenures was an almost incessant desire to change the team and key combinations like at half-back and centre, after a poor run of results, something Galthie has decided against doing.
“Despite the difficulty, the pressure from the press, from everyone, he never gives up on his players because he believes in us,” midfielder Gael Fickou said after the narrow round two win over Scotland.
“I think the whole team trusts him. He’s totally behind us and we’re totally behind him,” the 29-year-old added.
Fickou has been the shadow of his former self in the past three games and will have a new number 12 to partner him in Cardiff with Jonathan Danty suspended.
Yoram Moefana, Emilien Gailleton, Pierre-Louis Barassi and Nicolas Depoortere are the contenders and 21-year-old Depoortere’s stock has shot up this season.
Depoortere has scored seven tries for Bordeaux-Begles this term, including a stunning double in last Saturday’s win over Racing 92.
“He’s the future, he has it all,” Depoortere’s club team-mate Nans Ducuing told Sud Radio on Monday.
“More so than his rugby qualities, that all youngsters have, he also has a brain.
“He’s got an old head on young shoulders,” Ducuing added.
Flament backs Meafou
Galthie will be forced into at least one other change with fly-half Matthieu Jalibert out with a knee issue.
He is likely to move Thomas Ramos from full-back with Stade Francais’ Leo Barre expected to make his Test debut in the 15 shirt.
Uncapped Barre and lock Emmanuel Meafou were on the cover of specialist newspaper Midi Olympique on Monday.
After the absences of Jalibert and Danty, on top of first-choice half-backs Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack, former Les Bleus skipper Galthie has received fitness boosts in the form of Toulouse locks Thibaud Flament and New Zealand-born Meafou.
Flament has been a mainstay in the set-up since his debut in 2021 and Meafou’s 145kg frame is a positive addition to any team.
They had been set to feature earlier in the campaign, but injury meant Galthie had to select the likes of Paul Willemse, Paul Gabrillagues, Cameron Woki and Posolo Tuilagi.
“Manny (Meafou) has the qualities to put his hand up to play international rugby. I’m really excited for him,” Flament told Monday’s edition of Midi Olympique.
“I’m sure he will adapt to the speed and the games that are ahead,” he added.
One final selection conundrum is at scrum-half with Dupont’s stand-in Maxime Lucu being criticised by media, fans and former players while the poster boy has starred for France’s seven-a-side set-up.
Some are calling for youngster Nolann Le Garrec to start instead of the experienced Lucu to add much-needed pace to Les Bleus troubled attack.
“If the players give up on him, it’s over,” former head coach Noves told newspaper Le Parisien after the drab result with the Azzurri.
“So he would be mindful of protecting them,” he added.
