Okay, so kickoff is at 7.10am (AEDT), which is remarkably 9.10pm in Paris time. They don’t thoughts a late end.
It’s been freezing in Paris all week, and the climate app tells me the temperature is at present simply 1 diploma celsius. Mr Drennan says it’s minus 3 within the stands! The forecast is evident, nevertheless.
Teams-wise, the Wallabies had been pressured into a number of adjustments on Friday, with Carter Gordon and Billy Pollard each dominated out with niggles. Tane Edmed and Matt Faessler moved up from the bench, and Josh Nasser and Hamish Stewart had been added to the bench.
Where is James O’Connor, you ask? Good query. For causes that also aren’t fairly clear, JOC was launched from the squad after beginning at no.10 final weekend towards Ireland, even with Gordon carrying a quad harm.
The dealing with of O’Connor by Joe Schmidt this yr has been one of many stranger issues of the season.
In any case, listed below are the groups:
Australia (15-1): Max Jorgensen; Harry Potter, Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch; Tane Edmed, Jake Gordon; Harry Wilson (capt), Fraser McReight, Tom Hooper; Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams; Taniela Tupou, Matt Faessler, Angus Bell
Replacements: Josh Nasser Aidan Ross, Allan Alaalatoa, Rob Valetini, Carlo Tizzano, Kalani Thomas, Hamish Stewart, Filipo Daugunu
France (15-1): Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Nicolas Depoortere, Gael Fickou, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Romain Ntamack, Maxime Lucu; Gregory Alldritt (capt), Charles Ollivon, Anthony Jelonch; Emmanuel Meafou, Thibaud Flament; Regis Montagne, Julien Marchand, Jean-Baptiste Gros
Replacements: Maxime Lamothe, Rodrigue Neti, Thomas Laclayat, Romain Taofifenua, Hugo Auradou, Oscar Jegou, Baptiste Jauneau, Kalvin Gourgues
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace (IRFU) & Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (SRU)
