Three new caps for France for warm-up test in Scotland

PARIS : France will field a largely experimental side for their first World Cup warm-up test as coach Fabien Galthie named three uncapped players on Thursday for the weekend clash against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Brice Dulin will captain the side on Saturday with Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Emilien Gailleton and Paul Boudehent all given a chance to try and stake a claim for a place in the final 33-man World Cup squad, which will be named on Aug. 21.

Winger Bielle-Biarrey and centre Gailleton are both aged 20 and have impressed in the training camp, which started in Monaco a month ago.

Boudehent, 23, can also strengthen his chances in the potential absence of Anthony Jelonch, who continues his rehabilitation after knee surgery.

"Twenty years old is very young, they are without doubt among the youngest players ever capped," said Galthie.

"But there are no question marks hanging over them: Louis and Emilien followed a normal route to this stage, Paul's was a little different as he came via the sevens team. French rugby can be proud to have produced players with such potential."

The coach left out several senior players, notably those from La Rochelle and Toulon, who had only two weeks’ vacation after the Top 14 final in mid-June before joining up with the French camp.

The 33-year-old Dulin is handed the captaincy despite not playing for France since they lost 27-23 to Scotland in Paris in March 2021.

Prop Jean-Baptiste Gros and lock Cameron Woki return after missing this year’s Six Nations because of injury.

France play a total of four warm-ups internationals before they host the World Cup. After Saturday’s clash at Murrayfield, they take on the Scots again in Saint Etienne on Aug. 12, followed by Fiji in Nantes on Aug. 19 and Australia