5 pledges for the Tournament, Brunel dared!

Only 8 months before the World Cup in Japan (Sept. 20-Nov. 2), Jacques Brunel is still groping around calling 5 new players to the French team (Willemse, Ntamack, Ramos, Aldegheri, Alldritt) to prepare the first 2 matches of the 6 Nations Tournament.

Jacques Brunel had announced a list "close to the group that will play the World Cup". For this next 6 Nations Tournament, the last event before the 2019 World Cup in Japan (20 September-2 November), "there cannot be a total upheaval at that time", the French coach supported again last weekend, since La Toussuire, where he was awarded an unexpected manager of the year 2018 trophy. And yet....

    It's time to see if Willemse can bring us something.
    Jacques Brunel (coach of Les Bleus)

There is no shortage of novelties and surprises among the 31 names unveiled by the Gers technician this Wednesday, from the facilities of RC Massy Essonne, with no less than 5 players never called up to the national team. A good rejuvenation too.... The 2nd line of South African origin, naturalized French, Paul Willemse (26 years old), is the oldest of this quintet of pledge: the Montpelliérain, who today "meets the criteria demanded by the Federation and Bernard Laporte", just like the Clermont-Ferrand Alivereti Raka, forfeited, holds his chance in blue: "it is time to see if he can bring us something", says Brunel.   

Alongside Willemse are also the Toulouse team (*), which includes the fit men Romain Ntamack (19 years old), U20 world champion (like Demba Bamba, re-elected) whose 10-12 profile appeals to the French staff, and Thomas Ramos (23 years old), top scorer in the Champions Cup and preferred at the back for Benjmain Fall or Brice Dulin. New blood behind... But also, and this is more unusual, in front with the n°8 rochelais Grégroy Alldriit (21 years old), who shares the same Auscitan roots as Brunel. And above all, it offers an alternative to Louis Picamoles with "a remarkable ability to advance in the duel", which is also to "a position where there are essentially foreigners in the Top 14". The fifth newcomer to this list, Dorian Aldegheri (25 years old), who has already been called up with Barbarians, the antechamber of the Bleus, is benefiting from the absence of Cedate Gomes Sa, who is injured in the same way as Rabah Slimani, Yoann Maestri, Paul Gabrillagues, Mathieu Babillot, Kelian Galletier, Teddy Thomas and even Camille Chat.

The famous "skeleton" claimed by Brunel is ultimately rather upset by these five new names, but also by the returns of some of the people absent from the November tour, such as Morgan Parra, Wesley Fofana, Yacouba Camara, Bernard Le Roux, but also another young rock star, Pierre Bourgarit. 

These 31 lucky elected officials will be invited to Marcoussis on 20 January to begin preparing for the first two matches of this 2019 Tournament against Wales on Friday 1 February at the Stade de France (9pm) and then on Sunday 10 February at Twickenham (4pm) for the traditional "crunch". Last rehearsal against the English rival that Guilhem Guirado's team-mates will meet during their group phase of the Japanese World Cup.