Defending champions France have handed a test debut to 20-year-old center Fabien Brau-Boirie for Sunday’s Six Nations clash against struggling Wales in Cardiff.
Brau-Boirie will partner his Pau club teammate Émilien Gailleton in midfield, continuing a rapid rise that has seen both players help Pau climb to second place in the French Top 14 this season.
France head coach Fabien Galthié expressed confidence in the young center, highlighting his steady development within the national setup.
“Brau-Boirie has been with us for over a year. He performed well with the under-20s, trained with the French national team last year, and was also supposed to travel with us to New Zealand but injured his ankle,” said Galthié. “He’s a very young player but he’s a regular for his club every weekend and has earned a place.”
Gailleton, meanwhile, earns his 12th cap, with the new midfield pairing necessitated by injuries to key backs Nicolas Depoortère (calf), Kalvin Gourgues (ankle), and Yoram Moefana (knee). Uncapped Stade Français center Noah Nene has been named among the replacements, offering further youthful depth.
France enter the match buoyed by their commanding 36–14 bonus-point victory over Ireland, which reinforced their credentials as title contenders once again.
Wales, by contrast, are under immense pressure after suffering a humiliating 48–7 defeat to England at Twickenham last weekend. The loss extended their poor run and left them staring at the possibility of a record 13th consecutive Six Nations defeat.
Despite Wales’ struggles, Galthié warned against underestimating the challenge of playing in Cardiff.
“For me, it is the most beautiful stadium in the world, with those Welsh chants that never stop,” he said. “It’s special and, in my opinion, it levels the playing field. It gives the Welsh an extra spark.”
Wales will also draw confidence from history, having last defeated France at home in Cardiff in 2018. However, with France blending championship pedigree and emerging talent, Sunday’s encounter presents an opportunity for the visitors to assert their dominance—and for Brau-Boirie to announce himself on the international stage.
France: Thomas Ramos; Théo Attissogbe, Émilien Gailleton, Fabien Brau-Boirie, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Matthieu Jalibert, Antoine Dupont; Jean-Baptiste Gros, Julien Marchand, Dorian Aldegheri, Charles Ollivon, Mickaël Guillard, François Cros, Oscar Jegou, Anthony Jelonch.
Replacements: Maxime Lamothe, Rodrigue Neti, Régis Montagne, Thibaud Flament, Emmanuel Meafou, Lenni Nouchi, Baptiste Serin, Noah Nene.
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