Understrength French an unwelcome 'deja vu' in New Zealand

An understrength and unapologetic France kick off their three-test tour of New Zealand in Dunedin on Saturday, offering a Gallic shrug to a host nation raging at the absence of some of the Six Nations champions' top players.

France coach Fabien Galthie picked 17 uncapped players in his squad of 37, with a slew of senior figures rested from the Dunedin opener due to the Top 14 championship match last Saturday.

Galthie may reinforce his Gael Fickou-captained squad for the final tests in Wellington and Hamilton with up to five players from the Top 14 finalists, Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles.

That could bring fullback Thomas Ramos, lock Thibaud Flament and wingers Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey into the mix.

But flyhalf Romain Ntamack is unlikely to feature after having knee surgery in the wake of Toulouse's triumph, while scrumhalf Antoine Dupont has been sidelined with an ACL injury since the Six Nations in March.

They would add to an absentee list which includes loose forwards Gregory Alldritt and Paul Boudehent, and prop Jean-Baptiste Gros.

Injuries and calendar constraints notwithstanding, the B-squad has been viewed dimly in New Zealand, seven years after a similarly depleted France were trounced 3-0 on their last tour.

"I'm really disappointed with the way the French always seem to come up with excuses to not bring their top players," former All Blacks halfback and TV pundit Justin Marshall fumed on Sky Sports.

"Our fans deserve to see their best players playing in our country against our All Blacks because we do that in November to them."

Galthie has said he had no other solution than to pick a developmental squad.

"I think that's pretty clear. Or the New Zealanders will have to help us reinvent a national calendar," he