France call on rising star for November Tests

The Rugby Paper Team

12 years ago

Philippe Saint-Andre has included Toulouse rising star Gael Fickou in his 33-man squad ahead of the November Test series.
18-year-old Fickou has been the start performer in the Top since his arrival from Toulon over the summer and made his Heineken Cup debut with a man-of-the-match display last Sunday against Leicester.
He will have to battle against Maxime Mermoz, Wesley Fofana and Florian Fritz for the a place in Les Bleus’ midfield as Clermont captain Aurelien Rougerie misses out following his recent return from injury.
The other notable newcomer in the squad is Pierrick Gunther. Since he burst on the Top 14 scene last year, the 6ft3 17st man-mountain has managed to established himself at blindside flanker in Toulon’s galactic squad with impressive displays week-in week-out.
Alongside Fickou and Gunther, six other players will be looking to get their international debut. Props Eddy Ben Arous and Yannick Forestier, locks Jocelino Suta and Sebastien Vahaamahina, fly-half Jules Plisson and wing Vincent Martin have also been included in a squad where only ten players remain from the 2011 World Cup campaign.
France will open their autumn campaign against Australia on November 10 before hosting Argentina in Lille and Samoa back at the Stade de France the following two weeks.
France squad:
Forwards: Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), David Attoub (Stade Francais), Eddy Ben Arous (Racing Metro), Vincent Debaty (Clermont Auvergne), Thomas Domingo (Clermont Auvergne), Yannick Forestier (Castres), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing Metro), Christopher Tolofua (Toulouse), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont Auvergne), Pascal Papé (Stade Francais), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Sébastien Vahaamahina (Perpignan), Jocelino Suta (Toulon), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse), Wenceslas Lauret (Biarritz), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Damien Chouly (Clermont Auvergne), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse), Pierrick Gunther (Toulon).
Backs: Morgan Parra (Clermont Auvergne), Maxime Machenaud (Racing Metro), Frédéric Michalak (Toulon), François Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Jules Plisson (Stade Francais), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon), Wesley Fofana (Clermont Auvergne), Florian Fritz (Toulouse), Gaël Fickou (Toulouse), Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Benjamin Fall (Racing Metro), Brice Dulin (Castres), Vincent Martin (Toulon).