An infernal calendar, bad luck… The injuries are piling up and causing traffic jams in the treatment rooms of every professional club. No position is being spared. Least of all scrum-half, where the pool of talent is nevertheless well stocked.
Maxime Lucu with a knee injury, Nolann Le Garrec with a right hamstring problem (out for the start of the tournament), Baptiste Jauneau with a lesion behind a thigh… France have just lost three players in the same position. Apart from La Rochelle’s Le Garrec, all the others are expected to miss the whole of the Six Nations.
Fortunately, Antoine Dupont should – in all likelihood – take the starting berth. An important return, since the Toulouse man has not played in the French jersey since 8 March 2025. That was against Ireland, and everyone remembers it.
Serin, the obvious candidate
Behind him, Lucu and Le Garrec, who looked like the most credible options to back him up, are injured. Jauneau, promoted to captain of ASM Clermont-Auvergne and given a run out in New Zealand this summer, will not be there either. So the most serious lead points towards… Baptiste Serin.
The 31-year-old Toulon man (46 caps) has experience at the top level. In recent seasons, he has lit up pitch after pitch with his class and his undeniable talent. His leadership is another important factor. But Serin has been snubbed by Galthié and his staff for the most recent tests. The reason? Unknown. A runner, a creator, sometimes even a goal-kicker, the former UBB man is also a perfect game manager. He did not play against Munster in the Champions Cup but should be back soon.
Besides Serin, Baptiste Couilloud could have been a credible option. The Lyon man, undroppable at his club, has not played for France since the sad tour of Argentina and that match on 6 July 2024. Struggling with a shoulder, the international (17 caps) has rarely let himself down with France but has lost ground in the scrum-half pecking order over the last few seasons.
Daubagna? Graou? A surprise?
The French staff are therefore looking for a number 2 to Dupont, but also a number 3. In New Zealand, Pau’s Daubagna got his first minutes. He is putting together another very good start to the season. Racing’s Carbonneau, who arrived from Brive, has established himself at his club but still needs to progress to reach international level. It would not be a surprise either to see him in France’s extended squad.
Another profile is that of Paul Graou. Never called up, sometimes questioned, the former Montauban man held the fort admirably with Toulouse while Dupont was injured. His slightly “scatty” profile is perhaps not the one Galthié is after. But his connections with his Toulouse team-mates could also weigh in the balance.
Montpellier’s Léo Coly, meanwhile, has slipped down the pecking order. Scotland’s Ali Price has moved ahead of him. La Rochelle’s Thomas Berjon has had game time since the start of the season but Le Garrec’s return to form put him on the bench. The no less talented Jérémy Fernandez is in great shape with Castres. But is he on the radar? Hard to say, but he starts several lengths behind.
The France head coach has often got us used to surprises… The answer comes on 21 January with the announcement of the squad.
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