Centre Brau-Boirie to make France debut in Wales

Fabien Brau-Boirie has scored nine tries for Pau in 2025-26

Promising centre Fabien Brau-Boirie will make his France debut in a new-look midfield for Sunday's Six Nations match against Wales in Cardiff.

Head coach Fabien Galthie has made two enforced changes to the XV that started the championship with a dominant 36-14 win against Ireland in Paris.

Nicolas Depoortere and Yoram Moefana were paired in midfield against the Irish but miss out through injury along with Kalvin Gourgues, who came off the bench.

That means a debut at inside centre for 20-year-old Brau-Boirie as a reward for his impressive form for Pau, with nine tries in 15 games this season.

The 6ft 3in back is joined in midfield by club-mate Emilien Gailleton, a try scorer against Wales last year.

Lock Thibaud Flament, who missed France's Six Nations opener against Ireland because it clashed with his wife's fertility treatment, is recalled to the squad and is among the replacements.

Toulouse second row Flament is joined on the bench by uncapped Stade Francais centre Noah Nene.

France stick with the rest of the starting line-up that outplayed Ireland, with the lively half-back pairing of Antoine Dupont and Matthieu Jalibert starting together against Wales for the first time since 2021.

Les Bleus go with six forwards on the bench again, with hooker Maxime Lamothe and lock Thibaud Flament coming into the 23 along with Nene.

France have a seven-match winning streak against Wales that goes back to the 2019 World Cup and will be expected to record a fourth straight bonus-point success in the fixture.

Wales, beaten 48-7 by England at Twickenham in round one, name their side on Friday morning.

How they line up

France: Ramos; Attissogbe, Gailleton, Brau-Boirie, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Dupont (capt); Gros, Marchand, Aldegheri, Ollivon, Guillard, Cros, Jegou, Jelonch.

Replacements: Lamothe, Neti, Montagne, Flament, Meafou, Nouchi, Serin, Nene.