Champions Cup winner returns from retirement as France confirm squad to face England

The match will act as preparation for both teams ahead of their tours to the Southern Hemisphere for this year’s inaugural Nations Championship.

Champions Cup winners Bordeaux-Bègles did not qualify for the Top 14 play-offs, although prop Jefferson Poirot has been selected after coming out of international retirement. Castres winger Christian Ambadiang has also earned his first call-up.

Poirot’s inclusion is the standout story, with the Bordeaux-Bègles loosehead having retired from international rugby in 2020 and now returning at the age of 33.

The fixture is a repeat of last year’s meeting at Allianz Stadium, which came ahead of England’s tour of Argentina and France’s tour of New Zealand. In that previous squad, 22 of the 23 players who faced England at Twickenham later travelled on the New Zealand tour.

This is not yet the final squad, with Bordeaux players Maxime Lucu and Damian Penaud currently omitted but expected to join next week and those competing in the Top 14 semis not featuring either.

A further 42-man group will be announced on Sunday after the Top 14 semi-finals.

Maxime Lamothe (Union Bordeaux-Bègles), Barnabé Massa (ASM Clermont), Lucas Martin (Aviron Bayonnais), Reda Wardi (Stade Rochelais), Jefferson Poirot (Union Bordeaux-Bègles), Sipili Falatea (Union Bordeaux-Bègles), Régis Montagne (ASM Clermont), Emerick Setiano (Aviron Bayonnais), Mickaël Guillard (LOU Rugby), Boris Palu (Union Bordeaux-Bègles), Tom Staniforth (Castres Olympique), Killian Tixeront (ASM Clermont), Pierre Bochaton (Union Bordeaux-Bègles), Esteban Capilla (Aviron Bayonnais), Marko Gazzotti (Union Bordeaux-Bègles), Temo Matiu (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)

Nolann Le Garrec (Stade Rochelais), Baptiste Jauneau (ASM Clermont), Axel Desperes (Section Paloise), Antoine Hastoy (Stade Rochelais), Louis Le Brun (Castres Olympique), Fabien Brau-Boirie (Section Paloise), Nicolas Depoortere (Union Bordeaux-Bègles), Yoram Moefana (Union Bordeaux-Bègles), Christian Ambadiang (Castres Olympique), Grégoire Arfeuil (Section Paloise), Théo Attissogbe (Section Paloise), Mathis Ferté (RC Toulon).