France duo Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, who were the subject of rape allegations last summer, are set to take part in the Six Nations after being named in a 42-man squad on Wednesday.
Last month an Argentine court dismissed aggravated rape charges against Auradou and Jegou and the French federation said they were available for international duty again.
Auradou and Jegou, both 21, had been under investigation since July 12 for alleged aggravated rape — a charge used for suspected gang rape — in Argentina’s western Mendoza province after they both made their international debuts.
The two players, allowed to leave Argentina in September, always denied any wrongdoing and said the sex was consensual. The plaintiff has appealed the court’s decision and the next hearing will take place on Feb. 10, their lawyer said.
Meanwhile, scrum-half Antoine Dupont will take part in his first Six Nations campaign since 2023 after missing last year’s competition to prepare for the Paris Olympics, where he won a Rugby Sevens gold medal with Les Bleus.
Fly-half Romain Ntamack missed the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Six Nations through injury, having been unable to play for France since August, 2023.
Fly-half Matthieu Jalibert also makes his comeback to the squad after skipping the last two tests of France’s autumn series last November.
France squad
Forwards:
Esteban Abadie, Dorian Aldegheri, Gregory Alldritt, Uini Atonio, Hugo Auradou, Cyrill Baille, Giorgi Beria, Paul Boudehent, Joshua Brennan, Georges-Henri Colombe, Francois Cros, Marko Gazzotti, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Matthias Halagahu, Oscar Jegou, Anthony Jelonch, Maxime Lamothe, Julien Marchand, Peato Mauvaka, Emmanuel Meafou, Danny Priso, Rabah Slimani, Romain Taofifenua.
Backs:
Theo Attissogbe, Pierre-Louis Barassi, Leo Barre, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Nicolas Depoortere, Gael Drean, Antoine Dupont, Antoine Frisch, Emilien Gailleton, Matthieu Jalibert, Nolann le Garrec, Maxime Lucu, Yoram Moefana, Noah Nene, Romain Ntamack, Damien Penaud, Thomas Ramos, Gabin Villiere.