Dupont back to skipper France against Japan

Antoine Dupont will make his return to the France team as captain for Saturday's test against Japan after sitting out the last 13 months of international duty.

Dupont's last run-out in blue at 15s came in the morale-denting Rugby World Cup quarterfinal defeat by eventual champions South Africa a little over a year ago.

In the 13 months since that loss on home soil, the 27-year-old scrum-half has helped the France sevens team to an Olympic gold medal as well as claiming a French Top 14 and Champions Cup double with club Toulouse.

Dupont will partner Toulouse teammate Thomas Ramos at half-back, the latter was preferred over Matthieu Jalibert to start at fly-half.

Ramos, who normally plays full-back for his club, replaced Jalibert in the number 10 shirt for matches against England and Wales last year.

There is a debut for Bayonne prop Tevita Tatafu, while Gael Fickou drops to the bench for the first time since 2019. Yoram Moefana and Emilien Gailleton are instead named in midfield.

Galthie insisted that not starting Fickou, the long-time defensive leader who has been a shoo-in for his last 48 matches, was not a slight.

"Being named in the 23-man squad is not a downgrade," the former international scrum-half said.

"There is no comfort zone in the France team."

Leo Barre starts at full-back, with Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Damian Penaud on the wings.

Gregory Alldritt, Alexandre Roumat and Francois Cros form a strong backrow, with Emmanuel Meafou and Thibaud Flament packing down in the second row.

Tatafu, who was born in Tonga but joined the youth set-up of his French club as a 17-year-old, starts at tighthead alongside hooker Peato Mauvaka and loosehead Jean-Baptiste Gros.

In an unlikely combination, Tatafu will line up against his Bordeaux-Begles based cousin and No 8 who was named on the bench for Japan. He, too, is named Tevita Tatafu.

After opening their November campaign against Japan, France go on to play New Zealand and Argentina on successive weekends, both matches also at the Stade de France.

Team (15-1)

Leo Barre; Damian Penaud, Emilien Gailleton, Yoram Moefana, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Thomas Ramos, Antoine Dupont (capt); Gregory Alldritt, Alexandre Roumat, Francois Cros; Emmanuel Meafou, Thibaud Flament; Tevita Tatafu, Peato Mauvaka, Jean-Baptiste Gros

Replacements: Julien Marchand, Reda Wardi, Georges-Henri Colombe, Mickael Guillard, Paul Boudehent, Maxime Lucu, Matthieu Jalibert, Gael Fickou

Coach: Fabien Galthie (FRA)