France A national rugby union team

Not to be confused with France national rugby union team.

France A, also known as France XV and France B in the past, was the former name of the second national rugby union team of France behind the French national side.

France XV
France A

Nickname	Les Bleus (The Blues)
Emblem	Gallic rooster
Union	Fédération Française de Rugby
First colours Second colours
First international
France XV 27–17 Germany  (Paris; 14 October 1900)
Biggest win
France XV 126–6 Croatia  (Perpignan; 19 June 1993)
Biggest defeat
France XV 6–55 South Africa XV  (Paris; 3 January 1907)

In 2011 the French Rugby Federation designated the France U20 team as the second national side,^[1] and from the start of the 2017–18 season, the French Barbarians became the official second side,^[2][3] moving the role of the former France A team to the more prestigious invitational side with better name recognition.

History

France XV first played at the 1900 Summer Olympics, in Paris, when they defeated Germany by score of 27–17, in the first ever Olympic Rugby Union Tournament. They later would play often matches for the Mediterranean Games or would represent France at the FIRA Trophy.

In 2009 they played in the IRB Nations Cup, against Italy A, Scotland A, Romania, Russia and Uruguay. The 2009 tournament was held in Romania.

2010 Churchill Cup Squad

26-man squad:^[4]

Florian Fritz was replaced by Romain Cabannes. Benjamin Boyet was replaced by Jonathan Wisniewski. Grégory Lamboley was replaced by Damien Chouly. Nicolas Durand was replaced by Julien Tomas.

Farid Sid was replaced by Julien Arias. Yann David was replaced by Yoan Audrin. Julien Tomas was replaced by Florian Cazenave. Lionel Mazars was replaced by Thibault Lacroix.

Backs Player Position Club Florian Cazenave Scrum-half Perpignan Julien Dupuy Scrum-half Stade Français Lionel Beauxis Fly-half Stade Français Jonathan Wisniewski Fly-half Racing Métro Romain Cabannes Centre Castres Henry Chavancy Centre Racing Métro Thibault Lacroix Centre Bayonne Lionel Mazars Centre Bayonne Julien Arias Wing Stade Français Yoan Audrin Wing Castres Adrien Planté Wing Perpignan Maxime Médard Fullback Toulouse Benjamin Thiéry Fullback Montpellier

Forwards Player Position Club Jean-Philippe Genevois Hooker Bourgoin Benjamin Kayser (c) Hooker Stade Français Clément Baïocco Prop Racing Métro Yannick Forestier Prop Castres Jérôme Schuster Prop Perpignan Rabah Slimani Prop Stade Français Yoann Maestri Lock Toulouse Jocelino Suta Lock Toulon Guillaume Vilaceca Lock Perpignan Antoine Battut Flanker Montauban Sylvain Nicolas Flanker Bourgoin Jean-Pierre Perez Flanker Perpignan Damien Chouly Number eight Perpignan Florian Faure Number eight Biarritz

Honours

• Churchill Plate: 2010