Galthié makes two changes to starting XV for Italy match

France’s Six Nations 2026 squad has been the outstanding team in this year’s championship so far, with resounding wins over Ireland and Wales making them the frontrunners to retain their Six Nations trophy.

Head coach Fabien Galthié has mostly kept faith with the starting XV who were so dominant under the Principality Stadium roof, the only changes coming in the second row where Thibaud Flament and Emmanuel Meafou start. Charles Ollivon and Mickaël Guillard drop to the bench.

That means an unchanged backs division. Thomas Ramos starts at full-back, alongside wings Théo Attissogbe and Louis Bielle-Biarrey. Émilien Gailleton and Fabien Brau-Boirie are the centres, while scrum-half and captain Antoine Dupont partners in-form number 10 Matthieu Jalibert.

Up front, Galthié has selected a front row of Jean-Baptiste Gros, Julien Marchand and Dorian Aldegheri, ahead of locks Flament and Meafou. Anthony Jelonch starts at number 8, with François Cros and Oscar Jegou either side of him on the flanks.

There’s a 6-2 split on the bench, where Peato Mauvaka, Georges-Henri Colombe and Pierre-Louis Barassi are drafted into the 23. They’re joined by Ollivon, Guillard, Rodrigue Neti, Lenni Nouchi and Baptiste Serin.

France v Italy kicks off at 3.10pm GMT on Sunday 22 February, with live coverage on ITV1 and ITVX in the UK, and RTÉ and RTÉ Player in Ireland.

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France Six Nations team v Wales – round 3

15. Thomas Ramos
14. Théo Attissogbe
13. Émilien Gailleton
12. Fabien Brau-Boirie
11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey
10. Matthieu Jalibert
9. Antoine Dupont (captain)

1. Jean-Baptiste Gros
2. Julien Marchand
3. Dorian Aldegheri
4. Thibaud Flament
5. Emmanuel Meafou
6. François Cros
7. Oscar Jegou
8. Anthony Jelonch

Replacements:
16. Peato Mauvaka
17. Rodrigue Neti
18. Georges-Henri Colombe
19. Charles Ollivon
20. Mickaël Guillard
21. Lenni Nouchi
22. Baptiste Serin
23. Pierre-Louis Barassi

France Six Nations team v Wales – round 2

15. Thomas Ramos
14. Théo Attissogbe
13. Émilien Gailleton
12. Fabien Brau-Boirie
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. Maxime Lamothe
17. Rodrigue Neti
18. Régis Montagne
19. Thibaud Flament
20. Emmanuel Meafou
21. Lenni Nouchi
22. Baptiste Serin
23. Noah Nene

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

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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)

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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

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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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