Report from Planet Rugby
After French rugby union coach Guy Novès selected a Fiji-born Sevens flyer for the national squad, he has now also called up another former Sevens star – the France-born son of a former Australian rugby league international.
Montpellier winger Marvin O’Connor has been named to replace the injured Benjamin Fall.
O’Connor will now link up with the rest of the France squad for their latest Six Nations training camp from January from today until Wednesday.
He has previously represented both France U19s and France Sevens, and is currently the highest try scorer in the French Top 14 national club championship.
O’Connor has been regarded as one of France’s top wings in the past few seasons and many rugby critics have been tipping his call-up for a while.
The wily 24-year-old player, born in Annemasse, France, started his professional career with Grenoble before joining Bayonne and then Montpellier.
Last week, Novès named “unstoppable” Fiji-born Virimi Vakatawa winger from the France Sevens team to the national squad in a surprise move.
Revised France squad for the Six Nations
Forwards: Eddy Ben Arous, Jefferson Poirot, Guilhem Guirado (c), Camille Chat, Rabah Slimani, Uini Atonio, Yoann Maestri, Paul Jedrasiak, Sébastian Vahaamahina, Alexandre Flanquart, Wenceslas Lauret, Yacouba Camara, Kevin Gourdon, Louis Picamoles, Antoine Burban, Damien Chouly.
Backs: Sébastian Bézy, Morgan Parra, Maxime Machenaud, Jean-Marc Doussain, Jules Plisson, Alexandre Dumoulin, Wesley Fofana, Gaël Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Rémi Lamerat, Marvin O’Connor, Hugo Bonneval, Maxime Médard, Scott Spedding, Virimi Vakatawa.
Fijian flyer Vakatawa – a rugby gamble France needed to take
