Here we go for the Championship winners. France U20 begin their World Cup this Saturday 27 June (4pm, La chaîne L’Équipe) against Fiji, at the AIA Arena in Kutaisi, Georgia. Cédric Laborde revealed his line-up on Thursday, in keeping with the Grand Slam achieved at the last Six Nations.

Andjisseramatchi captain, Jurd at fly-half

In the absence of Marceau Marzullo, it is La Rochelle back-rower Lucas Andjisseramatchi who will wear the armband. A logical choice for a player who has already captained the senior side in the Champions Cup, on the Stormers’ pitch. Alongside him, Elyjah Ibsaiene (Bordeaux-Bègles) and Raphaël Audebert (Montpellier) complete the back row.

At half-back, Diego Jurd (La Rochelle) has been preferred to Luka Keletaona to open the competition, paired with Bayonne scrum-half Baptiste Tilloles. On the wings, Dylan Cazemajou-Noudofinin and Hugo Avogadro flank Axel Guillaud, the only specialist full-back in the squad, and make up for the injury withdrawal of Tom Lévêque.

A team already seasoned at the top level

The strength of this generation is its early experience: of the 30 players selected, only four have never set foot on a Pro D2 or Top 14 pitch. Several key men come from the Clermont side crowned French Espoirs champions, and the squad leans on players already established in the professional game. A reminder that France U20 remains the antechamber to the France senior side: eight starters from the 2023 final have since won a cap under Fabien Galthié.

The line-up

Starting XV: 15. Axel Guillaud (Clermont) ; 14. Dylan Cazemajou-Noudofinin (Agen), 13. Timéo Frier (Clermont), 12. Bastien Rasal (Bayonne), 11. Hugo Avogadro (Grenoble) ; 10. Diego Jurd (La Rochelle), 9. Baptiste Tilloles (Bayonne) ; 8. Elyjah Ibsaiene (Bordeaux-Bègles), 7. Lucas Andjisseramatchi (capt., La Rochelle), 6. Raphaël Audebert (Montpellier) ; 5. Roméo Bonnard-Martin (Toulouse), 4. Baptiste Veschambre (Clermont) ; 3. Maël Turpin (Mont-de-Marsan), 2. Gabin Garault (La Rochelle), 1. Mathéo Frisach (Clermont).

Replacements: 16. Yanis Basse (Racing 92), 17. Édouard-Junior Jabea Njocke (Racing 92), 18. Alexandre Langlois (Grenoble), 19. Alban Portat (Toulouse), 20. Bobby Bissu (Bordeaux-Bègles), 21. Nathan Llaveria (Toulouse), 22. Luka Keletaona (Brive), 23. Diego Mascarenc (Perpignan).

The schedule and the target

Drawn in a pool with Australia and Spain, France U20 will have to string together three matches in eleven days to aim for the semi-finals. The ambition is clear: to land a fourth world title, after the triumphs of 2018, 2019 and 2023, and to erase the memory of last year’s disappointing fourth place. It all starts on Saturday against Fiji.