Just days before their high-octane clash with New Zealand in Dunedin, France's head coach, Fabien Galthie, is pacing the sidelines with more nerves than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Fullback Cheikh Tiberghien and winger Gabin Villiere, who were both tipped for starting roles in Saturday's rumble, are giving the coach some serious selection headaches.
Tiberghien, after pulling up with a right thigh issue that had the medical team wrapping him up faster than a Christmas present, was seen limping off the field. Meanwhile, Villiere, a seasoned pro in a squad that's fresh-faced enough to be carded at a pub, missed the entire training session thanks to some untimely pain during warm-up. The plot thickens with Tom Spring, another potential fill-in, also riding the bench thanks to training knocks.
"There were some problems during training but we have yet to hear back from the medical staff,"
assistant coach Laurent Sempere revealed, keeping everyone on tenterhooks.
In a move that smells of desperation and genius in equal measure, Galthie has roped in Theo Attissogbe to cover fullback while Emilien Gailleton and Alivereti Duguivalu will try to fill the boots of the wounded on the wings. As the saying goes, the show must go on, and France's rugby drama is no exception.
Looking ahead, the French squad’s spine will be bolstered by the arrival of five warriors from the Top 14 finalists, Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles, for the second and third Tests. These reinforcements, whose names will be etched into the lineup post their own fitness sagas, come from teams still buzzing from Toulouse's narrow victory over Bordeaux-Begles in a nail-biter final that ended 39-33.
With the clock ticking down to the opening Test, Galthie and his crew will be hoping for miracles in physio rooms. Because let’s face it, facing the All Blacks in their backyard is daunting enough without having to juggle your starting XV like a circus act. The French tricolor might be flying high, but it’s fluttering with a hint of uncertainty as the big game approaches.
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Just days before their high-octane clash with New Zealand in Dunedin, France's head coach, Fabien Galthie, is pacing the sidelines with more nerves than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Fullback Cheikh Tiberghien and winger Gabin Villiere, who were both tipped for starting roles in Saturday's rumble, are giving the coach some serious selection headaches.
Tiberghien, after pulling up with a right thigh issue that had the medical team wrapping him up faster than a Christmas present, was seen limping off the field. Meanwhile, Villiere, a seasoned pro in a squad that's fresh-faced enough to be carded at a pub, missed the entire training session thanks to some untimely pain during warm-up. The plot thickens with Tom Spring, another potential fill-in, also riding the bench thanks to training knocks.
"There were some problems during training but we have yet to hear back from the medical staff,"
assistant coach Laurent Sempere revealed, keeping everyone on tenterhooks.In a move that smells of desperation and genius in equal measure, Galthie has roped in Theo Attissogbe to cover fullback while Emilien Gailleton and Alivereti Duguivalu will try to fill the boots of the wounded on the wings. As the saying goes, the show must go on, and France's rugby drama is no exception.
Looking ahead, the French squad’s spine will be bolstered by the arrival of five warriors from the Top 14 finalists, Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles, for the second and third Tests. These reinforcements, whose names will be etched into the lineup post their own fitness sagas, come from teams still buzzing from Toulouse's narrow victory over Bordeaux-Begles in a nail-biter final that ended 39-33.
With the clock ticking down to the opening Test, Galthie and his crew will be hoping for miracles in physio rooms. Because let’s face it, facing the All Blacks in their backyard is daunting enough without having to juggle your starting XV like a circus act. The French tricolor might be flying high, but it’s fluttering with a hint of uncertainty as the big game approaches.