Change (almost) nothing to go again. A week on from the comfortable win over Ireland (36-14) in their opening match of the 2026 Six Nations at the Stade de France, Fabien Galthié has opted for continuity. On Thursday 12 February, the France head coach named virtually the same starting XV for Sunday’s trip to Wales, with just two adjustments.

With UBB centres Moeafana and Deporterre ruled out, it is the Section Paloise pair who will start on Sunday in Cardiff. In fine form since the start of the season and complementary to one another, Brau-Boirie and Gailleton will therefore line up in the middle of the France attack.

It is on the bench that there are the most changes. His return was expected, and Thibaud Flament duly comes back. The Toulouse lock, absent from the first match for purely personal reasons, returns to the squad in place of Auradou, who drops out of the team sheet. Maxime Lamothe also takes Peato Mauvaka’s spot among the finishers. Paris man Noah Néné comes in for Kalvin Gourgues, who has an ankle injury.

“Balance” and “current form” were the head coach’s key words.

The starting XV:

15 – Ramos – 14 – Attissogbe, 13 – Gailleton, 12 – Brau-Boirie, 11 – Bielle-Biarrey – (fh) 10 – Jalibert, (sh) 9 – Dupont (capt.) – 7 – Jegou, 8 – Jelonch, 6 – Cros – 5 – Guillard, 4 – Ollivon – 3 – Aldegheri, 2 – J. Marchand, 1 – Gros

Finishers: 16 – Lamothe, 17 – Neti, 18 – Montagne, 19 – Flament, 20 – Meafou, 21 – Nouchi, 22 – Serin, 23 – Nene