XV of France. Who are the U20 world champions not yet called by Fabien Galthié?

Through Clement Mazella
Published on 1 Dec 20 at 18:57

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This is the future of rugby French. And Fabien Galthie, coach of XV of France for barely a year, it does not intend to leave this golden generation aside. Monday, the former n ° 9 of the Blues called in reinforcement the Lyonnais Clément Laporte. His particuliarity ? It’s the 14^e U20 world champion called to join the XV of France. Time to take stock of these golden kids, these elements already capped or those that we will probably never see in the national team.

They have already been capped under Galthié

Small clarification: Fabien Galthié had been beaten by Jacques Brunel, who had already called on two U20 world champions: Romain Ntamack and Demba Bamba. The pillar of Lyon was even the very first, during the pitiful defeat against Fiji in November 2018. NTK had followed for the first match of the 2019 6 Nations Tournament.

Since taking office at the head of the Blues, Galthié has caped 5 other U20 world champions, the center of Montpellier, Arthur vincent, even being very regularly one of the 23 names entered on the scoresheet. The left pillar of Toulon, Jean-Baptiste Gros, was also able to do well with the international retirement of Jefferson Poirot.

• Romain Ntamack (18 caps)
• Demba Bamba (14 caps)
• Arthur Vincent (7 selections)
• Jean-Baptiste Gros (5 selections)
• Cameron Woki (3 caps)
• Hassane Kolingar (1 selection)
• Louis Carbonel (1 selection)

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They were part of the extended lists

With its lists extended to 42 elements, Fabien Galthié did not hesitate to draw among the world champions and see if he already had the potential to shake up the hierarchy. With his staff, he appreciates the profile of a Sacha Zegueur, which however evolves in Pro D2. Raphaël Ibanez, the manager, had made it clear that Fabien and himself were doing nothing and that the French pool was very rich. Seven other U20 world champions have been called up, and 6 have never worn the jersey of the XV of France.

The Lyonnais Pierre-Louis Barassi, summoned for the first time in the Galthié era for the final of theAutumn Nations Cup against England this Sunday, has indeed already experienced the joys of the selection: it was during the World Cup 2019, having been called in after the injury of Wesley Fofana. He had played against Tonga.

• Pierre-Louis Barassi (Lyon; 1 selection)
• Sacha Zegueur (Oyonnax)
• Matthis Lebel (Toulouse)
• Lucas Tauzin (Toulouse)
• Clement Laporte (Lyon)
• Julien Delbouis (French Stadium)
• Donovan Taofifenua (Racing 92)

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They have enormous potential

Some of these U20s have huge potential. We necessarily think of n ° 8 of Racing 92 Jordan Joseph. Among young people, his level was far above average, but it is still slow to confirm in club. There is however a place of understudy to be taken from the indebted Grégory Alldritt.

There is also the Rochelais Matthias Haddad (19 years old). He has not yet played professionally, but he caught the eye of Fabien Galthié during training in Naples last January. “When Galthié comes to talk to you, you look at him with big eyes! », He commented to Actu Rugby. A rough diamond, to be polished. And this fall, Galthié invited him to take part in training with the Blues, to face high intensity. A name to keep in mind.

And also..

They are therefore already 14 U20 world champions to have been called by Fabien Galthié in the France team. It’s not impossible that the figure will swell in the months or years to come. In any case, that’s all we want them, some even making their little hole in the Top 14 like Guillaume Marchand (Toulouse), Ugo Boniface (Bayonne) or Ibrahim Diallo (Racing 92) or Arthur Coville (Stade Français) .

Like Haddad, others have not played professionally (Hamonou, Mallez, Lachaud) or have never seen the Top 14 (Coly, De Nardi, Zeghdar, Hirigoyen…). In all, there are 33 of them who have not been (yet) called by Fabien Galthié.