Antoine Dupont makes Six Nations return in France’s clash with Wales

ANTOINE Dupont will make his Six Nations return when he leads France in Friday’s tournament opener against Wales. The star scrum-half missed last year’s Six Nations to concentrate on Olympics preparation with the France sevens squad, and he played a key role in them winning gold on home soil. Dupont links up with Toulouse colleague Romain Ntamack as his half-back partner, and there is a start for Pau wing Theo Attissogbe.

Attissogbe, who wins his fourth cap, takes over from an injured Damian Penaud, while another injury absentee – lock Thibaud Flament – is replaced by Alexandre Roumat. Boss Fabien Galthie has opted to go with a six-two split on his bench. France have won their last six games against Wales and go into the Six Nations after winning all three autumn Tests against Japan, New Zealand and Argentina.



They are without some key figures with Penaud absent because of a toe injury, centre Gael Fickou out with a fractured thumb and flanker Charles Ollivon out for the season because of a knee injury, but the French boast formidable depth..