Flanker Anthony Jelonch was named in host nation France’s Rugby World Cup squad by head coach Fabien Galthie on Tuesday despite suffering from a serious knee injury.
Jelonch, 27, made the last of his 25 Test appearances in February when he ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament in the Six Nations victory over Scotland.
Les Bleus open the World Cup by facing three-time winners New Zealand at the Stade de France in Paris on September 8.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE SQUADS NAMED SO FAR
They then play Uruguay six days later, Namibia on September 21 and end their Pool A campaign against Italy on October 6.
“Anthony has worked a lot to get back to where he is now,” Galthie told TF1.
“He’s not fit now but we think he will be back to his best by mid-September.”
Jelonch’s club teammate, prop Cyril Baille, is also included but is suffering from a calf issue. Galthie also expects him to return by the middle of next month.
Last week, France suffered a setback when first-choice fly-half Romain Ntamack was ruled out of the tournament with a serious knee injury.
Julien Marchand, Gregory Alldritt, Anthony Jelonch and Romain Ntamack. (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Ex-France captain Galthie has chosen not to pick a third No. 10 with full-back Thomas Ramos able to cover Matthieu Jalibert and Antoine Hastoy.
Youngster Louis Bielle-Biarrey as well as two-time Champions Cup winner Paul Boudehent also get the nod, despite only making their Test debuts earlier this month.
Scrum-half Baptiste Serin, flanker Dylan Cretin as well as experienced full-back Brice Dulin, who captained the side in the loss in Scotland on August 5 miss out but will remain as back-up to the squad.
France end their World Cup preparations by welcoming Australia to Paris on Sunday.
France squad
Props: Cyril Baille (Toulouse), Jean-Baptiste Gros (Toulon), Reda Wardi (La Rochelle), Uini Atonio (La Rochelle), Dorian Aldegheri (Toulouse), Sipili Falatea (Bordeaux-Begles)
Hookers: Julien Marchand (Toulouse), Peato Mauvaka (Toulouse), Pierre Bourgarit (La Rochelle)
Locks: Thibaud Flament (Toulouse), Paul Willemse (Montpellier), Romain Taofifenua (Lyon), Cameron Woki (Racing 92)
Back row: Gregory Alldritt, Paul Boudehent (both La Rochelle), Francois Cros (Toulouse), Sekou Macalou (Stade Francais), Charles Ollivon (Toulon), Anthony Jelonch (Toulouse)
Scrum-halves: Antoine Dupont (Toulouse, capt), Maxime Lucu (Bordeaux-Begles), Baptiste Couilloud (Lyon)
Fly-halves: Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux-Begles), Antoine Hastoy (La Rochelle)
Wings: Damian Penaud (Bordeaux-Begles), Gabin Villiere (Toulon), Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Bordeaux-Begles)
Centres: Gael Fickou (Racing 92), Jonathan Danty (La Rochelle), Arthur Vincent (Montpellier), Yoram Moefana (Bordeaux-Begles)
Full-backs: Thomas Ramos (Toulouse), Melvyn Jaminet (Toulouse)
Melbourne Rebels forward Richard Hardwick has won a call up for Namibia, having played two Tests for the Wallabies in 2017.
A World Rugby rule change in 2021 left the door open for a switch to Namibia. It allows Test-capped players to represent a second national team if they are eligible, after a period of three years of inactivity with their original country .
“I am happy with where we are and our depth,” Coach Allister Coetzee said. “We are not spoilt for choice with players in Namibia.
Richard Hardwick of the Rebels scores a try during the round four Super Rugby Pacific match between the Melbourne Rebels and the ACT Brumbies (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)
“The unluckiest player not selected in the 33-man squad is (injured flyhalf) Helarius Kisting.”
Experienced centre Johan Deysel will captain the party.
Coetzee will add two more unnamed forwards to the squad in the coming days, pending medical clearance and paperwork issues.
Coetzee has roped in former England scrum coach Matt Proudfoot as his assistant.
The latter was part of the South Africa coaching team when they won the World Cup four years ago.
Namibia will be appearing at a seventh World Cup having qualified for every tournament since 1999 but have lost every one of their 22 games played.
They will play Italy, France, New Zealand and Uruguay in Pool A.
The Foul Play Review Official (Bunker) and shot clock will both feature at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, World Rugby has confirmed.
World Rugby says this is aimed at supporting match officials, promoting ball-in-flow and enhancing fan experience at the tournament which kicks off on September 8.
The Foul Play Review will operate out of the International Broadcast Centre in Paris. Referees now have the ability to refer an incident where a red card is not clear and obvious to the Foul Play Review Official.
If the referee cannot determine whether a red card is warranted after viewing the big screen replays but the foul does meet at least a yellow card threshold, the referee will cross their arms to signal the formal review.
The player will leave the field for 10 minutes as per the sin-bin laws, and the Foul Play Review will then have up to eight minutes to review the incident. The referee will either uphold the yellow card or award a red card.
Last weekend England No 8 Billy Vunipola’s yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Ireland’s Andrew Porter was upgraded to a red on review.
The shot clock will also be used. This shows the players the 90 seconds they have to take a conversion and the 60 seconds to kick a penalty.
“The advancement of technology is bringing fans closer to the sport than ever before and helping us create a better, safer spectacle,” the World Rugby Director of Rugby Phil Davies said on Monday.
The Foul Play Review has been on trial in the Summer Nations Series, World Rugby U20 Championship, The Rugby Championship and Super Pacific Rugby.
Midfielder Andres Vilaseca will captain Uruguay at the Rugby World Cup in France eight years after his older brother Santiago did the same in England.Vilaseca is one of seven players who will appear at their third World Cup, while 11 more will be at their second.
However lock Diego Magno, Uruguay’s most capped player, has missed out after 108 tests since 2008, most recently this month off the bench against Namibia.
Five-eighth Santiago Arata, playing for Castres in France, was picked while he’s recovering from a hand operation. He will join the squad when when it arrives in Avignon, France.
Uruguay are in a pool with host France, New Zealand, Italy and Namibia.
© AAP
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Mils Muliaina believes the experienced veteran could be a perfect fit for the Wallabies.
There are three rounds left in the regular season and it’s do-or-die for several sides, including the seven-time back-to-back champions the Crusaders. Who’d have…
Anyone who has read things I’ve written in rugby forums before knows that I am the guy who bangs on about junior rugby participation…
The 'Rugby Heaven' panel gave their verdict on the Wallabies fly-half options nearing the end of the Super Rugby Pacific season. Noah Lolesio has…
In eight weeks or so a Wallaby will run onto the smooth field in Sydney with a number 15 on his back to set…
In Joseph Heller's wonderful novel, Catch-22, the title refers to an insoluble logical dilemma that faces the hero Yossarian in his efforts to avoid…
