Ollivon heads up rookie France squad for double Japan tests / Photo: © AFP/File
Ollivon heads up rookie France squad for double Japan tests
Toulon backrower Charles Ollivon heads up a 42-strong France squad named by coach Fabien Galthie on Monday to play two Tests against Japan next month.
Other seasoned campaigners include Matthieu Jalibert, Melvyn Jaminet, Damian Penaud and Virimi Vakatawa, while the squad features 17 uncapped players.
Only Ollivon -- who captained the Barbarians to a 55-21 thrashing of England over the weekend, Penaud, Vakatawa and prop Demba Bamba have more than 20 caps.
Galthie had warned that a number of high-profile players, a majority of the team that won the Six Nations Grand Slam, would not be selected to allow them some rest.
It means the likes of world player of the year Antoine Dupont and his Toulouse teammate Romain Ntamack will not make the trip to Japan.
Also missing are players from the Top 14 final between Montpellier and Castres on June 24.
France play Japan on July 2 at Aichi and on July 9 in Tokyo.
France squad
Forwards: Jean-Baptiste Gros, Dany Priso, Matis Perchaud, Sipili Falatea, Demba Bamba, Dorian Aldegheri, Thomas Laclayat, Pierre Bourgarit, Peato Mauvaka, Christopher Tolofua, Thomas Lavault, Thomas Jolmes, Remi Picquette, Swan Rebbadj, Thibaud Flament, Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, Sekou Macalou, Ibrahim Diallo, Matthias Haddad, Yoan Tanga, Dylan Cretin, Charles Ollivon, Selevasio Tolofua
Backs: Maxime Lucu, Baptiste Couilloud, Nolann Le Garrec, Antoine Hastoy, Matthieu Jalibert, Louis Carbonel, Tani Vili, Virimi Vakatawa, Yoram Moefana, Louis Le Brun, Damian Penaud, Jules Favre, Matthis Lebel, Remy Baget, Enzo Reybier, Aymeric Luc, Melvyn Jaminet, Max Spring, Romain Buros
S.O'brien--TNT
Featured