France have picked a centre who cannot play for them: Jeremy Ward, a former Junior Springboks captain.
Fabien Galthie put the 30-year-old Stade Francais centre in the France rugby squad as a training player for November’s Nations Championship Tests, the Springboks included. A 10-cap France centre lost his place to make room.
The reason is the 2027 World Cup.
Smart planning, or a snub to a Frenchman who could actually play on 13 November? Tell us in the comments.
Why Ward cannot play until 2027
France head coach Fabien Galthie named Stade Francais centre Jeremy Ward in a 42-man squad on 21 October 2026, with Antoine Dupont as captain. Ward is a training player only: World Rugby’s five-year residency rule means he cannot play for France until 2027.
The rule keeps him out of every France Test this November, finals weekend at Twickenham included, so he trains and watches.
He played for Eastern Province, the Southern Kings and the Sharks, and made four appearances for the Junior Springboks in 2016.
Ward arrived in Paris in the summer of 2022, so his five years are up next summer, before the World Cup in Australia.
Galthie’s staff get every camp between now and then to judge him before they have to decide anything.
The 10-cap centre who made way
Nicolas Depoortere, the Bordeaux-Begles centre with 10 caps, is the man left out. Planet Rugby reports he was dropped to make room for Ward.
Ward will not face South Africa on 13 November. Depoortere, who can, will not be in camp either.
France rugby squad: seven regulars out, Alldritt back
Gregory Alldritt returns. He last played for France against Australia in November 2025, as captain, and has missed the 2026 Six Nations and the July Tests since.
Cameron Woki of Bordeaux-Begles is named in the back row but can cover lock, which matters with Emmanuel Meafou and Thibaud Flament both out.
France go into November without seven senior men, five of them forwards:
- Forwards (5): Emmanuel Meafou, Thibaud Flament, Julien Marchand, Lenni Nouchi, Demba Bamba
- Backs (2): Matthieu Jalibert, Thomas Ramos
Damian Penaud keeps the place he won back in July, and Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Francois Cros are in the group.
Planet Rugby counts six uncapped players, Ward included: Karl Sorin, Theo Forner, Mathis Ferte, Tani Vili and Axel Desperes. Sorin, a 23-year-old La Rochelle tighthead, comes in to cover for the injured Demba Bamba.
France’s November: Fiji first, the Springboks six days later
| Date | Fixture | Venue | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 7 Nov | France v Fiji | Groupama Stadium, Lyon | 21:10 France, 20:10 UK, 22:10 SA |
| Fri 13 Nov | France v South Africa | Stade de France | 21:10 France, 20:10 UK, 22:10 SA |
| Sat 21 Nov | France v Argentina | Stade de France | 21:10 France, 20:10 UK, 22:10 SA |
| 27-29 Nov | Finals weekend v Southern Hemisphere side ranked level | Allianz Stadium, Twickenham | TBC |
Full dates are on the France fixtures page. Fiji in Lyon opens the run, six days before the Springboks arrive, and it is France’s first look at a backline without Jalibert or Ramos.
With Ward out of reach until next season, who plays 13 for France on 13 November?
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