France, ranked #8, faces #11 Argentina in a Pool C match at Tokyo Stadium on 21 September. Kickoff is at 16:15 local (03:15ET). The match may be viewed on NBC Sports Gold live or on replay as part of a subscription package.
France Head coach Jacques Brunel has selected a young side to face Argentina on Saturday. He has selected goal-kicker Ntamack, who is 20, over Camille Lopez, who had started two of the three warm-up matches but struggled with kicks. Ntamack, who plays inside center for Toulouse, will be at flyhalf. He will pair with 22-year-old Dupont at scrumhalf, who gains the start over the experienced Maxime Machenaud, who is a reserve.
Fiji-born Virimi Vakatawa and Gael Fickou are the centers, with Damian Penaud and Yoann Huget on the wings, and Maxime Medard at fullback.
In the forwards, Guilhem Guirado will captain the side from hooker for the 31st time with Camille Chat as a reserve. Guirado didn’t start a single warm-up match.
The prop includes Rabah Slimani and Jefferson Poirot, with Sebastien Vahaamahina and Arthur Iturria, who is very mobile, at lock. The back row consists of Gregory Alldritt, Charles Ollivon and Wenceslas Lauret with veteran No 8 Louis Picamoles and South African-born Bernard Le Roux among the replacements along with props Demba Bamba and Cyril Baille.
For Argentina, the 2015 RWC was a huge one for the team as they advanced to the Cup semifinals. This is a different RWC and Argentina Head Coach Mario Ledesma first task is to defeat France in their first match on Saturday.
The starting XV includes thirteen Jaguares starting for Los Pumas. The front row is an experienced one with tighthead Juan Figallo who is in his third Rugby World Cup, while loosehead prop Tetaz Chaparro and hooker Agustín Creevy are playing in their second. Guido Petti and Lavanini are the same lock combination from RWC 2015. Pablo Matera, a flanker and captain, and No.8 Javier Ortega Desio have also experienced RWC action, while flanker Marcos Kremer is in his first RWC.
In the backs, Tomás Cubelli will pairNicolás Sánchez as halfbacks. Both returns to RWC action, with the remaining backs, changed. The centers include Jerónimo de la Fuente and Matías Orlando, with a back three of Matías Moroni, Ramiro Moyano, and Emiliano Boffelli.
The referee for the match is Angus Gardner, who is from Australia. The Assistant Referees include Jaco Peyper from South Africa and Brendon Pickerill from New Zealand, with the TMO Marius Jonker from South Africa.
Squads
France: 1 Jefferson Poirot, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 3 Rabah Slimani, 4 Arthur Iturria, 5 Sébastien Vaha’amahina, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 7 Charles Ollivon, 8 Grégory Alldritt, 9 Antoine Dupont, 10 Romain Ntamack, 11 Yoann Huget, 12 Virimi Vakatawa, 13 Gaël Fickou, 14 Damien Penaud, 15 Maxime Médard 16 Camille Chat, 17 Cyril Baille, 18 Demba Bamba, 19 Bernard le Roux, 20 Louis Picamoles, 21 Maxime Machenaud, 22 Camille Lopez, 23 Thomas Ramos
Argentina: 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy, 3 Juan Figallo, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 6 Pablo Matera (capt.), 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 13 Matías Orlando, 14 Matías Moroni, 15 Emiliano Boffelli 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Tomás Lezana, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Benjamín Urdapilleta, 23 Santiago Carreras
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