France name squad for Wales showdown

Props Luc Ducalcon and Vincent Debaty were named on Wednesday in a 30-man French squad for their next Six Nations game against two-time defending champions Wales in Cardiff on Friday week.

They replace prop Rabah Slimani, who has been suspended for two weeks after being sent off in last Sunday’s 30-10 win over Italy, and backrow forward Bernard Le Roux, who is compelled to take a two week rest after suffering concussion in the Italian game.

Racing-Metro’s Ducalcon, 30, has been capped 17 times but has not featured in a France squad since last June’s tour of New Zealand.

Clermont’s Belgian-born Debaty, 32, won the last of his 18 caps in the win over Tonga last November.

France go to Wales – who beat Italy but then lost to Ireland last Saturday – on the back of two wins which has raised expectations of their first grand slam since 2010.

Forwards: Thomas Domingo (Clermont), Yannick Forestier (Castres), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing-Metro), Vincent Debaty (Clermont), Luc Ducalcon (Racing-Metro), Nicolas Mas (Montpellier), Alexandre Flanquart (Stade Francais), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Pascal Pape (Stade Francais), Sebastien Vahaamahina (Perpignan), Virgile Bruni (Toulon), Ibrahim Diarra (Castres), Alexandre Lapandry (Clermont), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Damien Chouly (Clermont), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse)