RWC Pool C Preview – France vs USA

Pool C continues on Wednesday with France and the USA squaring-off in Fukuoka. For both countries the match is to be their second of the competition. France are coming-off a win over Argentina while the USA are looking to win their first match after losing to England.

France Head Coach Jacques Brunel has the double luxury of town rest days and a team featuring twelve changes. N8 Louis Picamoles has been named to captain the much changed side. He joins Arthur Iturria, and Yacouba Camara in the back-row with Iturria moving there from the second-row.

Cyril Baille, Camille Chat, Emerick Setiano, Bernard le Roux, and Paul Gabrillagues are the remaining starting forwards. For Gabrillagues it marks a return following suspension for foul play during the RWC warm-up matches.

In the backs Maxime Machenaud, and Camille Lopez are to be the starting halves. Outside Lopez will be Gael Fickou who joins winger Yoann Huget in being retained from the opening match. Sofiane Guitoune will play outside center with Alivereti Raka, and Thomas Ramos starting on the right wing and at fullback.

USA Head Coach Gary Gold has gone for five changes. Taking over for the injured David Ainu’u will be veteran Eric Fry. He joins Joe Taufete’e, and Titi Lamositele in the front-row.

The second-row sees Nate Brakeley joining Nick Civetta. The selection sees Ben Landry being dropped from the 23 with Greg Peterson named on the bench. Peterson and Fry are the two Eagles players based in France named for the match.

With John Quill out through suspension his spot in the starting line-up has gone to Hanco Germishuys. He joins Tony Lamborn, and Cam Dolan in the back-row.

In the back there are two changes. They come at inside center and fullback. In the former position Bryce Campbell replaces the injured Paul Lasike while in the latter Mike Te’o starts in place of the concussed Will Hooley.

International competition between France and the USA goes all the way back to 2020. In the first ever match France were 14-5 winners in Colombes. Four years later the USA won 17-3 to win the Gold Medal at the Paris Olympic Games. France have won the five subsequent matches, the most recent of which was a 39-31 win in Hartford, Connecticut in 2004.

The Europeans are heavy favorites to win in Fukuoka though a much improved performance from the USA is expected. ARN predicts a French victory by 13 points.

 

TEAMS

FRANCE
1 Cyril Baille, 2 Camille Chat, 3 Emerick Setiano, 4 Bernard le Roux, 5 Paul Gabrillagues, 6 Arthur Iturria, 7 Yacouba Camara, 8 Louis Picamoles (capt.), 9 Maxime Machenaud, 10 Camille Lopez, 11 Yoann Huget, 12 Gael Fickou, 13 Sofiane Guitoune, 14 Alivereti Raka, 15 Thomas Ramos

Replacements: 16. Guilhem Guirado, 17 Jefferson Poirot, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 Sebastién Vaha’amahina, 20 Gregory Alldritt, 21 Baptiste Serin, 22 Romain Ntamack, 23 Maxime Médard

USA
1 Eric Fry, 2 Joe Taufetee, 3 Titi Lamositele, 4 Nate Brakeley, 5 Nick Civetta, 6 Tony Lamborn, 7 Hanco Germishuys, 8 Cam Dolan, 9 Shaun Davies, 10 AJ MacGinty, 11 Martin Iosefo, 12 Bryce Campbell, 13 Marcel Brache, 14 Blaine Scully (capt.), 15 Mike Teo

Replacements: 16 Dylan Fawsitt, 17 Olive Kilifi, 18 Paul Mullen, 19 Greg Peterson, 20 Ben Pinkelman, 21 Ruben de Haas, 22 Will Magie, 23 Thretton Palamo

Date: Wednesday, October 02
Kick-Off: 16:45 local (00:45 Pacific, 03:45 Eastern, 04:45 Rio de la Plata)
Venue: Hakatanomori Stadium, Fukuoka
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referee: Wayne Barnes (England), Shuhei Kubo (Japan)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)