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An understrength French outfit “could keep the All Blacks guessing” after a host of rookies were named in the squad to tour Aotearoa next month.

Les Bleus coach Fabien Galthie has named an inexperienced 37-man squad to tour New Zealand, inclusive of 17 uncapped players.

Centre Gael Fickou, who has 94 caps for France, has been named captain of the squad. Fickou has more than twice the number of international appearances than the rest of the 15 backs named combined.

Prop Rabah Slimani and second rower Romain Taofifénua are the only other players in the squad with more than 50 French caps under their belts.

But New Zealand-born French rugby journalist Ian Borthwick says the decision to send an inexperienced team is credited to strict selection protocols and France’s long-term plan for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

“There are some players, some individuals who might be considered surprises, but otherwise the actual makeup of the squad is not a surprise‚” Borthwick told The Country Sport Breakfast’s Brian Kelly.

He said Galthie’s selections have centred around the French Top 14 competition’s two finalists, Toulouse and Bordeaux, that are set to play on Sunday.

French coach Fabien Galthie has named an inexperienced squad to tour New Zealand, with 17 uncapped players. Photo / Photosport

“[Galthie] said from the very beginning there would be no players from the final and only a restricted number from the semifinals as well,” Borthwick said. A further five players will join the squad after the final.

Galthie would also not select any players that have had more than 2000 minutes of match time during the season. In comparison, a player who played every minute of the Super Rugby Pacific’s regular season would have had just over 1100 minutes.

“That might seem a lot, but when you look at the French season, it’s far longer and far tougher than the season that the players have in New Zealand. That’s one of the reasons that this will be a team of players who are very fresh and young,” Borthwick said.

Injuries have also stricken more senior players, including former World Rugby player of the year Antoine Dupont.

Borthwick said he didn’t expect French fans to criticise what has been called an experimental squad, “because we’ve known all along that it would be“.

“France are on a long-term plan to prepare their players for the next World Cup and they don’t want to leave anything to chance.”

Asked for his thoughts of the All Blacks squad named by coach Scott Robertson on Monday, Borthwick agreed it was “very strong, as could be expected”.

“But I don’t think anybody in France was overawed by what they saw in the final of Super Rugby in Christchurch on Saturday.

“It was a very rustic affair which seemed to take us back a number of decades, so I think France will be looking to put into effect a different type of rugby than we saw between those two New Zealand teams.”

He said the last time an understrength French outfit visited the Southern Hemisphere in 2021, they recorded one win and two narrow losses against Australia.

“France have shown in the past they’ve got the quality and the talent to beat New Zealand... Although it’s inexperienced, this is a team which could keep the All Blacks guessing.”

France squad for New Zealand tour

Forwards (21): Esteban Abadie, Hugo Auradou, Demba Bamba, Gaetan Barlot, Giorgi Beria, Pierre Bourgarit, Georges-Henri Colombe, Tyler Duguid, Baptiste Erdocio, Alexandre Fischer, Mickael Guillard, Matthias Halagahu, Paul Mallez, Guillaume Marchand, Regis Montagne, Rabah Slimani, Romain Taofifenua, Killian Tixeront, Jacobus Van Tonder, Theo William, Cameron Woki

Backs (16): Theo Attissogbe, Leo Barre, Leo Berdeu, Leon Darricarrere, Thibault Daubagna, Alivereti Duguivalu, Gael Fickou, Emilien Gailleton, Antoine Hastoy, Baptiste Jauneau, Nolann Le Garrec, Theo Millet, Joris Segonds, Tom Spring, Cheikh Tiberghien, Gabin Villiere

 is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers sport and breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.