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League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Dave Winter/INPHO Freeautumn internationals France opt for Le Garrec as Dupont replacement against South Africa Fabien Galthie has kept just nine names from the matchday squad from the last time the sides met in the 2023 Rugby World Cup. 11.43am, 6 Nov 2025 Share options LA ROCHELLE SCRUM-HALF Nolann Le Garrec will start for France against South Africa in the Autumn Nations Series. Le Garrec will make his 14th Test appearance on Saturday in Paris with superstar Antoine Dupont out since March with a serious knee issue. The 23-year-old will start a game alongside Toulouse’s Romain Ntamack at half-back for the first time. Fabien Galthie has kept just nine names from the matchday squad from the last time the sides met, when the Springboks won the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final on the way to their fourth Webb Ellis trophy. Advertisement Racing 92 centre Gael Fickou, who captained France on the summer tour of New Zealand, continues with the armband in the absence of Dupont. Fickou, who will win his 97th cap, is partnered in midfield by Toulouse’s Pierre-Louis Barassi, with Bordeaux-Begles’ Yoram Moefana suffering from a shoulder issue. La Rochelle No 8 Gregory Alldritt, who led the side to March’s Six Nations crown, is out of the matchday squad with Lyon’s Mickael Guillard preferred in the back-row. Props Baptiste Erdocio and Regis Montagne are in line for just their third Test appearances, with tightheads Uini Atonio and Tevita Tatafu injured, and loosehead Cyril Baille still making his way back to fitness. The French Top 14′s leading try scorer this season, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, starts on the wing with his Bordeaux-Begles team-mate Damian Penaud on the other flank. Toulouse hooker Guillaume Cramont is set for his international debut from the bench, having impressed this season for the Top 14 league leaders. France: Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Pierre-Louis Barassi, Gael Fickou (capt), Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Romain Ntamack, Nolann Le Garrec; Baptiste Erdocio, Julien Marchand, Regis Montagne; Thibaud Flament, Emmanuel Meafou; Paul Boudehent, Anthony Jelonch, Mickael Guillard. Replacements: Guillaume Cramont, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Dorian Aldegheri, Hugo Auradou, Romain Taofifenua, Oscar Jegou, Maxime Lucu, Nicolas Depoortere – © AFP 2025 Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “France opt for Le Garrec as Dupont replacement against South Africa”. 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