Bastareaud back as France pick four uncapped players to face New Zealand
Mathieu Bastareaud returned to the starting XV after a two year absence as France coach Guy Noves picked four uncapped players on Thursday to face New Zealand in Paris on Saturday.
Fly-half Anthony Belleau, 21, will make his debut alongside scrum-half Antoine Dupont, 20 and with just three caps, in one of the youngest ever half-back partnerships for Les Bleus.
Back row Judicael Cancoriet, 21, and second row Paul Gabrillagues, 24, will also make their debuts, alongside Bastareaud’s centre partner Geoffrey Doumayrou, 28.
The 29-year-old Bastareaud’s last France appearance was in October 2015 in the humiliating 62-13 World Cup quarter-final thrashing at the hands of New Zealand.
Team (15-1)
Nans Ducuing; Teddy Thomas, Geoffrey Doumayrou, Mathieu Bastareaud, Yoann Huget; Anthony Belleau, Antoine Dupont; Louis Picamoles, Kevin Gourdon, Judicael Cancoriet; Paul Gabrillagues, Sebastien Vahaamahina; Rabah Slimani, Guilhem Guirado (capt), Jefferson Poirot
Remplacements: Clement Maynadier, Raphael Chaume, Daniel Kotze, Paul Jedrasiak, Anthony Jelonch, Baptiste Serin, Francois Trinh-Duc, Damian Penaud
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