Shaun Edwards as Galthie names 28-man France squad for England XV

shaun edwards was not the story in Vannes on Friday. Fabien Galthie named a 28-man France squad to face an England XV, and nine of the players came from European champions Bordeaux-Begles.

France lean on Bordeaux-Begles

The Bordeaux-Begles group gives the selection its shape. France left out Maxime Lucu, Matthieu Jalibert and Louis Bielle-Biarrey for the uncapped fixture, even as the club still sent nine players into the squad.

Galthie also kept Gregory Alldritt out after he had been omitted from France's Guinness Six Nations squad. That leaves the head coach with a group that mixes established names with nine uncapped players, a clear sign that this match is being used to widen the field before the next run of international games.

Vannes and the uncapped fixture

The match takes place on Friday in Vannes, where France will meet an England XV in an uncapped fixture. France XV will play England A at the Stade de la Rabine in Vannes on Friday 19 June at 18:15 CET, and the squad selection arrives after Bordeaux-Begles failed to make the Top 14 play-offs at the weekend.

That same weekend also saw Pau and La Rochelle lose in the Top 14 quarter-finals. The timing matters because it has pushed several players back into international contention, while others who were expected to be involved were left out of the squad.

Borthwick names Bath players

England have made their own changes around the same fixture. Bath centre Max Ojomoh has been recalled to Steve Borthwick's England squad, and 13 players from Leicester Tigers and Bath will prepare to take on a France XV on Friday in Vannes.

France's focus shifts quickly after this game. In July, they will face the All Blacks, Australia and Japan in the Nations Championship, so Galthie's 28-man selection now serves as a direct test of who can hold a place when the schedule turns again.