France full-back Thomas Ramos has been replaced by Vincent Rattez in Fabien Galthie’s 37-man training squad for the 2021 Guinness Six Nations.
Ramos was a regular member of the matchday squad during last year’s Championship, coming off the bench against Wales, Scotland and Ireland as Les Bleus finished second.
He also started at No.15 for France when they avenged their Guinness Six Nations defeat to Scotland in the Autumn Nations Cup with a 22-15 triumph at BT Murrayfield.
But the Toulouse man, who struck 14 points in the victory over Gregor Townsend’s side, will not join France’s training squad to prepare for their Championship opener against Italy.
Galthie names 37-man France squad for 2021 Guinness Six Nations
Instead, 28-year-old Rattez will take his place in the training set-up ahead of the trip to the Stadio Olimpico, despite largely being deployed on the wing by Galthie.
Rattez scored a try in France’s 2020 Guinness Six Nations curtain-raiser against eventual champions England in Paris before starting on the wing against Italy and Ireland.
He was one of the most prominent omissions from Galthie’s squad announcement but his inclusion now provides another back-three option along with the likes of No.15s Anthony Bouthier and Brice Dulin.
Galthie’s team narrowly missed out on last year’s Championship crown on points difference as Eddie Jones’ England, who beat Italy away from home in their final match, clinched the title.
France toppled Ireland 35-27 in Round 5 but that was not enough to stop England, who also won the Autumn Nations Cup by beating a much-changed Les Bleus side in the final at Twickenham, claiming their third Championship victory in five years.
Updated France squad
Uini Atonio – 34 caps
Cyril Baille – 23 caps
Pierre Bourgarit – 3 caps
Camille Chat – 30 caps
Georges-Henri Colombe Reazel – 0 caps
Jean-Baptiste Gros – 5 caps
Mohamed Haouas – 7 caps
Hassane Kolingar – 2 caps
Julien Marchand – 9 caps
Killian Geraci – 2 caps
Bernard Le Roux – 44 caps
Baptiste Pesenti – 2 caps
Swan Rebbadj – 1 caps
Romain Taofifenua – 20 caps
Paul Willemse – 12 caps
Grégory Alldritt – 18 caps
Dylan Cretin – 5 caps
François Cros – 8 caps
Anthony Jelonch – 4 caps
Charles Ollivon – 18 caps
Selevasio Tolofua – 1 caps
Baptiste Couilloud – 5 caps
Antoine Dupont – 27 caps
Baptiste Serin – 39 caps
Louis Carbonel – 2 caps
Matthieu Jalibert – 8 caps
Julien Delbouis – 0 caps
Gaël Fickou – 58 caps
Virimi Vakatawa – 27 caps
Arthur Vincent – 7 caps
Damian Penaud – 17 caps
Donovan Taofifenua – 0 caps
Teddy Thomas – 22 caps
Gabin Villiere – 2 caps
Anthony Bouthier – 6 caps
Brice Dulin – 31 caps
Vincent Rattez – 8 caps