France rugby squad faces injury crisis for November Nations Championship

France head coach Fabien Galthié has announced a 42-man squad for the upcoming November Nations Championship fixtures against Fiji, South Africa, and Argentina. The selection comes amid a significant injury crisis that has sidelined several key players, including fly-half Matthieu Jalibert, fullback Thomas Ramos, and second-rowers Emmanuel Meafou and Thibaud Flament.

Despite these absences, the squad features the return of veteran Gregory Alldritt and star scrum-half Antoine Dupont. Galthié has also introduced several new faces and surprises, including uncapped players Tani Vili, Karl Sorin, and Théo Forner. Additionally, South African-born centre Jeremy Ward has been called up to serve as a training partner, though he will not be eligible to play for France until 2027 due to residency regulations.

In women’s handball, Lylou Borg has been forced to withdraw from the French national team following a confirmed foot fracture sustained during training.