Ntamack, Dupont to start as France plump for youth against Argentina

Tokyo: Toulouse young guns Romain Ntamack and Antoine Dupont will start at half-back as France opted for youth for their opening Pool C match against Argentina on Saturday.

Head coach Jacques Brunel opted for goal-kicker Ntamack, 20, over Camille Lopez while 22-year-old Dupont starts at scrum half, the experienced Maxime Machenaud beating out Baptiste Serin for a place on the bench.

Lopez had started two of the three warm-up matches, but struggled with the boot, in contrast to Ntamack.

“He’s started several times for us and we think that having Ntamack on for the first part of the game and Lopez the second is the most satisfactory selection,” Brunel said.

Ntamack, son of emblematic ex-France winger/full-back Emile, more often than not lines up at inside centre for Toulouse, but Brunel dismissed any concern over handing him the keys to number 10.

Damian Penaud and Yoann Huget start on the wings, with Maxime Medard beating out the benched Thomas Ramos for a run-on role at full-back. Guilhem Guirado captains the side from hooker for the 31st time.

Meanwhile, Argentina have turned to mercurial Stade Francais fly-half Nicolas Sanchez to pull the strings for Los Pumas’ opening World Cup Pool C match against France on Saturday.

Sanchez has a ream of French experience, having also played for Stade’s Top 14 rivals Bordeaux-Begles and Toulon over four seasons before linking up briefly with the Jaguares in Super Rugby.

Argentina will be skippered by marauding flanker Pablo Matera in a strong-looking pack that sees Juan Figallo starting at tight-head prop.

Agence France-Presse

France team vs Argentina (15-1) Maxime Medard; Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Virimi Vakatawa, Yoann Huget; Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont; Gregory Alldritt, Charles Ollivon, Wenceslas Lauret; Sebastien Vahaamahina, Arthur Iturria; Rabah Slimani, Guilhem Guirado (cap), Jefferson Poirot Replacements: Camille Chat, Cyril Baille, Demba Bamba, Bernard Le Roux, Louis Picamoles, Maxime Machenaud, Camille Lopez, Thomas Ramos

Argentina (15-1) Emiliano Boffelli; Matias Moroni, Matias Orlando, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Ramiro Moyano; Nicolas Sanchez, Tomas Cubelli; Javier Ortega Desio, Marcos Kremer, Pablo Matera (capt); Tomas Lavanini, Guido Petti; Juan Figallo, Agustin Creevy, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro Replacements: Julian Montoya, Mayco Vivas, Santiago Medrano, Matias Alemanno, Tomas Lezana, Felipe Ezcurra, Benjamin Urdapilleta, Santiago Carreras