France pick 42-man squad ahead of Rugby World Cup

Veteran fullback Brice Dulin said he was "very, very proud" to have been included in France coach Fabien Galthie's 42-man Rugby World squad on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old won the last of his 36 caps in March 2021 but earned a call-up to the hosts' squad due to an outstanding season for Champions Cup winners La Rochelle.

He is one of nine players from La Rochelle to feature.

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Galthie will reduce the squad to 33 on 21 August for the sport's quadrennial showpiece - which runs from September 8 to October 28 - but he has offered a glimmer of hope to others like Dulin who have been rarely used in the past two years.

Scrumhalf Baptiste Serin and centre Arthur Vincent, who has had two nightmare injury-plagued seasons, will hope to impress in training camp and get a chance to shine in some of the four warm-up matches.

Galthie has remained loyal to the squad that secured the 2022 Six Nations Grand Slam last year and finished runners-up last season.

However, the former France captain has selected four uncapped players: centre Emilien Gailleton, wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey, backrow forward Paul Boudehent and prop Thomas Laclayat

Laclayat is the surprise amongst the quartet as he played second tier rugby last season with now-promoted Oyonnax.

Toulouse's dynamic halfback partnership of France captain Antoine Dupont and fly-half Romain Ntamack head up a 10-player group from the recently-crowned French champions.

For some of those not called up there remains some hope - backrow forward Anthony Jelonch, who is recuperating after a cruciate ligament operation, prop Sipili Falatea or Australian lock Emmanuel Meafou, who is awaiting World Rugby's