Six Nations team news: Penaud blow for France as Ntamack and Dupont return

Yesterday at 11:13 AM

• Winger to miss Friday night's opener against Wales
• Former England prop Henry Thomas makes first start

France's Romain Ntamack is set to line up at fly-half for the first time in almost 18 months but the Six Nations favourites will be without the winger Damian Penaud for Friday night's opener against Wales, adding to a list of key players unavailable for the curtain-raiser at the Stade de France.

Ntamack missed the 2023 World Cup with a knee injury and his planned comeback last November was curtailed by a calf injury, but he will reprise his highly rated combination with the returning captain Antoine Dupont. Penaud had been expected to return to the team but suffered a toe injury in training and Théo Attissogbé will line up on the wing instead.