France: Woki starts, new centre pairing against Fiji

France host Fiji at the Groupama Stadium on Saturday in round 4 of the Nations Championship, with an untried midfield and a back-rower returning.

Moefana and Gourgues, never on the pitch together

Yoram Moefana (42 caps) and Kalvin Gourgues (4) have never started together, nor even shared the pitch, as Sud Ouest pointed out. The paper counts them as the 13th centre pairing used since the 2023 World Cup. Fabien Brau-Boirie, who started all three July Tests, is out with a knee injury and Nicolas Depoortere misses the matchday squad.

Gourgues has never started for France: all four of his caps came off the bench. A former fly-half, he can also kick, useful with Thomas Ramos and Matthieu Jalibert injured and Romain Ntamack (45 caps, 162 points) the only designated goal-kicker.

Woki, 490 days later

Cameron Woki (33 caps) had not played for France since 5 July 2025, as a replacement in New Zealand. He starts at blindside alongside Paul Boudehent and François Cros. Out wide, Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang (2 caps, 2 tries) faces Jiuta Wainiqolo. Louis Bielle-Biarrey has 29 tries in 27 Tests, Théo Attissogbe 12 in 17.

The bench has a six-two split. Esteban Capilla, called up after Hugo Jegou withdrew, could win his first cap. The starting XV have 389 caps between them, 64 for captain Antoine Dupont.

France : Attissogbe ; Grandidier-Nkanang, Gourgues, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey ; (fh) Ntamack, (sh) Dupont (cap.) ; Cros, Boudehent, Woki ; Guillard, Verhaeghe ; Falatea, Lamothe, Gros.

Replacements : Mauvaka, Poirot, Montagne, Ollivon, Staniforth, Capilla, Lucu, Gailleton.

Fiji : Rayasi ; Ravutaumada, Masi, Habosi, Wainiqolo ; (fh) Rabitu, (sh) Kuruvoli ; Hughes, Salawa, Sowakula ; Nasilasila, Vocevoce ; Tagi, Ikanivere (cap.), Mawi.

Replacements : Togiatama, Ravai, Ravuiwasa, Yato, Canakaivata, Lomani, Volavola, Maqala.

Eleven Top 14 players for Fiji

Head coach Jack White starts nine players from the French league, with Peceli Yato (Perpignan) and Sireli Maqala (Bayonne) on the bench. Josua Tuisova (Racing 92), part of the touring squad, is not in the 23. Nathan Hughes (Racing 92), capped 22 times by England between 2016 and 2019, makes his Fiji debut at number 8.

The main threat is Wainiqolo. The Lyon wing has scored 7 tries in 7 Top 14 games this season, level with club-mate Gabin Lorre at the top of the charts, after 18 in 20 games last season. His Lyon team-mate Iosefo Masi, starting at centre, has 5 in 7.

Fiji winless, France almost always ahead

Fiji took no points in July, beaten by Wales (24-39), England (8-73) and Scotland (17-33). France lost their opener in New Zealand (32-34) before winning in Australia (42-26) and Japan (42-15).

France have won eleven of their twelve Tests against Fiji. The only defeat came on 24 November 2018 (14-21). The last meeting, in November 2025, ended in a 34-21 French win. The 2020 game, cancelled during the pandemic, is not counted.