Pau star joins Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Thomas Ramos and Antoine Dupont in a scintillating backs division
France’s Six Nations 2026 squad are looking to retain the title they won last year, and head coach Fabien Galthié’s first selection suggests they mean business. Les Bleus open this year’s championship against Ireland on Thursday night, and the side is packed with quality from front to back.
The big headlines in the run up to the game surrounded Grégory Aldritt and Damian Penaud missing out on the 42-player squad. France’s player pool is the envy of almost every country on the planet, however, and Galthié has the luxury of being able to replace them with Toulouse’s Anthony Jelonch and high-flying Pau’s Théo Attissogbe, respectively.
Talismanic scrum-half Antoine Dupont returns to captain the side after last year’s lengthy injury lay-off, and will be partnered by Bordeaux Bègles’ in-form number 10 Matthieu Jalibert. Thomas Ramos starts at full-back, alongside wings Attissogbe and Louis Bielle-Biarrey (last season’s record try scorer). Nicolas Depoortere and Yoram Moefana get the nod in the centres.
In the pack, Galthié has selected a front row of Jean-Baptiste Gros, Julien Marchand and Dorian Aldegheri, ahead of locks Charles Ollivon and Mickaël Guillard. Jelonch starts at number 8, with François Cros and Oscar Jegou either side of him as flankers.
There’s a 6-2 split on the bench, which comprises Peato Mauvaka, Rodrigue Neti, Régis Montagne, Hugo Auradou, Emmanuel Meafou, Lenni Nouchi, Baptiste Serin and Kalvin Gourgues.
France v Ireland kicks off at 8.10pm GMT on Thursday 5 February, with live coverage on ITV1 and ITVX in the UK, and Virgin Media One and Virgin Media Play in Ireland.
France Six Nations team v Ireland – round 1
15. Thomas Ramos
14. Théo Attissogbe
13. Nicolas Depoortere
12. Yoram Moefana
11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey
10. Matthieu Jalibert
9. Antoine Dupont (captain)
1. Jean-Baptiste Gros
2. Julien Marchand
3. Dorian Aldegheri
4. Charles Ollivon
5. Mickaël Guillard
6. François Cros
7. Oscar Jegou
8. Anthony Jelonch
Replacements:
16. Peato Mauvaka
17. Rodrigue Neti
18. Régis Montagne
19. Hugo Auradou
20. Emmanuel Meafou
21. Lenni Nouchi
22. Baptiste Serin
23. Kalvin Gourgues
France Six Nations squad 2026: Galthié’s 42-man squad
Forwards (25): Dorian Aldegheri (Toulouse), Hugo Auradou (Pau), Cyril Baille (Toulouse), Joshua Brennan (Toulouse), Georges-Henri Colombe (Toulouse), François Cros (Toulouse), Alexandre Fischer (Bayonne), Jean-Baptiste Gros (Toulon), Mickaël Guillard (Lyon), Oscar Jegou (La Rochelle), Anthony Jelonch (Toulouse), Maxime Lamothe (Bordeaux Bègles), Julien Marchand (Toulouse), Temo Matiu (Bordeaux Bègles), Peato Mauvaka (Toulouse), Emmanuel Meafou (Toulouse), Régis Montagne (Clermont-Auvergne), Rodrigue Neti (Toulouse), Lenni Nouchi (Montpellier), Charles Ollivon (Toulon), Dany Priso (Toulon), Alexandre Roumat (Toulouse), Thomas Staniforth (Castres), Tevita Tatafu (Bayonne), Cameron Woki (Bordeaux Bègles)
Backs (17): Grégoire Arfeuil (Pau), Théo Attissogbe (Pau), Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Bordeaux Bègles), Fabien Brau-Boirie (Pau), Romain Buros (Bordeaux Bègles), Thibault Daubagna (Pau), Nicolas Depoortere (Bordeaux Bègles), Gaël Dréan (Toulon), Antoine Dupont (Toulouse, captain), Kalvin Gourgues (Toulouse), Aaron Grandidier Nkanang (Pau), Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux Bègles), Yoram Moefana (Bordeaux Bègles), Noah Nene (Stade Français), Thomas Ramos (Stade Toulousain), Baptiste Serin (RC Toulon), Ugo Seunes (Racing 92)
France Six Nations squad: 2026 fixtures at a glance
Thu 5 February, France v Ireland (kick-off 8.10pm GMT, Stade de France, Paris) Live on ITV in the UK
Sun 15 February, Wales v France (kick-off 3.10pm GMT, Principality Stadium, Cardiff) Live on the BBC in the UK
Sun 22 February, France v Italy (kick-off 3.10pm GMT, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille) Live on ITV in the UK
Sat 7 March, Scotland v France (kick-off 2.10pm GMT, Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh) Live on the BBC in the UK
Sat 14 March, France v England (kick-off 8.10pm GMT, Stade de France, Paris) Live on ITV in the UK
France Six Nations squad: Line-ups from every match in 2025
Round 1: v Wales (Stade de France, Paris)
Result: France 43-0 Wales
Starting XV:
15. Thomas Ramos
14. Théo Attissogbé
13. Pierre-Louis Barassi
12. Yoram Moefana
11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey
10. Romain Ntamack
9. Antoine Dupont (captain)
1. Jean-Baptiste Gros
2. Peato Mauvaka
3. Uini Atonio
4. Alexandre Roumat
5. Emmanuel Meafou
6. François Cros
7. Paul Boudehent
8. Grégory Alldritt
Replacements:
16. Julien Marchand
17. Cyril Baille
18. Georges-Henri Colombe
19. Hugo Auradou
20. Mickaël Guillard
21. Oscar Jégou
22. Nolann Le Garrec
23. Émilien Gailleton
Round 2: v England (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)
Result: England 26-25 France
Starting XV:
15. Thomas Ramos
14. Damian Penaud
13. Pierre-Louis Barassi
12. Yoram Moefana
11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey
10. Matthieu Jalibert
9. Antoine Dupont (captain)
1. Jean-Baptiste Gros
2. Peato Mauvaka
3. Uini Atonio
4. Alexandre Roumat
5. Emmanuel Meafou
6. François Cros
7. Paul Boudehent
8. Grégory Alldritt
Replacements:
16. Julien Marchand
17. Cyril Baille
18. Georges-Henri Colombe
19. Hugo Auradou
20. Mickaël Guillard
21. Oscar Jégou
22. Nolann Le Garrec
23. Émilien Gailleton
Round 3: v Italy (Stadio Olimpico, Rome)
Result: Italy 24-73 France
Starting XV:
15. Léo Barré
14. Théo Attissogbé
13. Pierre-Louis Barassi
12. Yoram Moefana
11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey
10. Thomas Ramos
9. Antoine Dupont (captain)
1. Jean-Baptiste Gros
2. Peato Mauvaka
3. Uini Atonio
4. Thibaud Flament
5. Mickaël Guillard
6. François Cros
7. Paul Boudehent
8. Grégory Alldritt
Replacements:
16. Julien Marchand
17. Cyril Baille
18. Dorian Aldegheri
19. Romain Taofifénua
20. Alexandre Roumat
21. Oscar Jégou
22. Anthony Jelonch
23. Maxime Lucu
Round 4: v Ireland (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
Result: Ireland 27-42 France
Starting XV:
15. Thomas Ramos
14. Damian Penaud
13. Pierre-Louis Barassi
12. Yoram Moefana
11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey
10. Romain Ntamack
9. Antoine Dupont (captain)
1. Jean-Baptiste Gros
2. Peato Mauvaka
3. Uini Atonio
4. Thibaud Flament
5. Mickaël Guillard
6. François Cros
7. Paul Boudehent
8. Grégory Alldritt
Replacements:
16. Julien Marchand
17. Cyril Baille
18. Dorian Aldegheri
19. Emmanuel Meafou
20. Hugo Auradou
21. Oscar Jégou
22. Anthony Jelonch
23. Maxime Lucu
Round 5: v Scotland (Stade de France, Paris)
Result: France 35-16 Scotland
Starting XV:
15. Thomas Ramos
14. Damian Penaud
13. Gaël Fickou
12. Yoram Moefana
11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey
10. Romain Ntamack
9. Maxime Lucu
1. Jean-Baptiste Gros
2. Peato Mauvaka
3. Uini Atonio
4. Thibaud Flament
5. Mickaël Guillard
6. François Cros
7. Paul Boudehent
8. Grégory Alldritt (captain)
Replacements:
16. Julien Marchand
17. Cyril Baille
18. Dorian Aldegheri
19. Emmanuel Meafou
20. Hugo Auradou
21. Oscar Jégou
22. Anthony Jelonch
23. Nolann Le Garrec
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