XV de France Squad Adjustments: Lucu Returns, Depoortere Out Ahead of England Clash

Ahead of their Six Nations encounter with England, France's rugby coach Fabien Galthié has reshuffled the squad, notably with Maxime Lucu returning as scrum-half following Nicolas Depoortere's injury. Depoortere sustained a shoulder dislocation in the recent 50-40 defeat against Scotland at Murrayfield, which ended France's pursuit of a Grand Slam. Lucu, who recently started for Bordeaux-Bègles, will now pair with Antoine Dupont and Baptiste Serin in the scrum-half roles.

Despite concerns over concussion protocols, Anthony Jelonch remains in the squad, highlighting Galthié's cautious approach. The forwards see minimal changes with the return of Sacha Zegueur and Hugo Auradou, while Paul Boudehent and Alexandre Roumat have been dropped. Key players like Damian Penaud and Grégory Alldritt continue to be absent from play in the 2026 Six Nations thus far.

This squad overhaul follows a disappointing loss to Scotland, where France conceded seven tries in an hour, missed 35 tackles including seven by Yoram Moefana, and faced discipline issues with 10 penalties and two yellow cards. Galthié expressed disbelief at the team's poor defensive display, which starkly contrasted their earlier tournament performances. The French squad's full list for the England match includes 42 players, balancing the need for stability and tactical adjustments as they look to recover.