Autumn Nations Cup: France could change half their team for Scotland game

France could change half their team for the Autumn Nations Cup clash with Scotland, according to French media.

Teddy Thomas scored two tries for France against Scotland at Murrayfield in 2018 and is expected to return to the French side after injury. Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images

The two sides meet at Murrayfield on Sunday in a match which will likely decide who reaches the final of the new tournament.

France haven’t played since beating Ireland 35-27 in Paris in the final round of the Six Nations on 31 October. Their opening Nations Cup match against Fiji was cancelled following a Covid outbreak in the Islanders’ camp, with France awarded a 28-0 win.

Fabien Galthie’s side have lost stand-off Romain Ntamack to injury since the Irish match but there could be several other changes in the pipeline.

According to L’Equipe, at a training session open to the media on Wednesday night, the French lined up with a front row made up of players who started the Irish game on the bench: Jean-Baptiste Gros, Camille Chat and Demba Bamba.

The first-pick front three against Ireland were Cyril Baille, Julien Marchand and Mohamed Haouas.

Other changes in the pack at the session saw Romain Taofifenua replacing Paul Willemse in the second row, while Dylan Cretin is expected to step in for the injured Francois Cros at blindside flanker

Galthie had intended to field a more experimental side against Fiji but, when the match was cancelled, Scotland coach Gregor Townsend expected his French counterpart to revert to his strongest XV for Edinburgh.

Matthieu Jalibert is likely to start at 10 in the absence of Ntamack while Thomas Ramos is earmarked for full-back in place of Anthony Bouthier who is nursing a knee injury.

Winger Teddy Thomas missed the Ireland match with a hamstring injury but is expected to return against Scotland, a change which would see Gael Fickou moved out to centre.

Thomas scored two tries against Scotland at Murrayfield in the 2018 Six Nations match which the French lost 32-26.

The two sides will name their teams at lunchtime on Friday.

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