Boudehent out, Gabrillagues called up before the Springboks

Another blow for Fabien Galthié, a day after losing Romain Ntamack.

A calf problem and another setback

Paul Boudehent announced the news himself on social media on Sunday evening: “Unfortunately, a calf problem will keep me off the pitch.” The 26-year-old, who has 22 caps and 5 tries for France in our database, was back in the side against Fiji after a serious hamstring injury in June.

He joins a long list of absentees, including Romain Ntamack, out for around two months with a dislocated left shoulder, as well as Matthieu Jalibert, Thomas Ramos and Antoine Hastoy at fly-half and Oscar Jegou in the back row.

Gabrillagues back in the squad

Fabien Galthié has called up Stade Français lock Paul Gabrillagues, who has 18 caps. France, two points clear at the top of the Northern conference, host the unbeaten Springboks on Friday 13 November.

The Springboks, France’s nemesis

In our database, France have beaten South Africa only once in their last nine meetings: 30-26 on 12 November 2022. They lost the next two, 28-29 in the 2023 World Cup quarter-final and 17-32 exactly a year ago, on 8 November 2025. Without Ntamack, Maxime Lucu finished the Fiji game at fly-half. The Bordeaux player is the Nations Championship’s top points scorer with 47.