Antoine Dupont has been cleared to lead a depleted France into Six Nations battle against Wales in Cardiff on Friday.
The France scrumhalf has recovered after leaving training on Tuesday with his left arm bandaged and an ice pack wrapped around, but continued testing for coronavirus has taken care of star wing Damian Penaud and lock Romain Taofifenua.
Dupont injury scare for Grand Slam-chasing France
“Damian Penaud and Romain Taofifenua will not travel following positive tests this morning,” Galthie said after naming the team on Wednesday. “We’d largely been spared that until now, but that’s the way it is. We have the resources to front up against Wales.”
Penaud’s place has been filled by the free-scoring Gabin Villiere, who sat out the Scotland win through injury.
Galthie did not rule out other players testing positive before Friday’s match at the Principality Stadium, with kick-off set for 10pm (SA time).
“We are preparing for it: we are waiting for information from the Six Nations committee to find out if and when we will be retested,” he said.
Penaud and Taofifenua, Galthie added, had discovered they had tested positive “this morning when they were packing”.
“Psychologically, it’s brutal. But we’ve got to keep going and the guys coming in are ready.”
The World Player of the Year, Dupont has been crucial to France’s current successful run. The team has notched up three wins from three matches and are bidding for their first Grand Slam since 2010, the last time they won the title.
“He’s doing fine, very well,” a reassuring Galthie said of his talismanic captain.
The France coach named Villiere, hat-trick scorer in the 37-10 opening win over Italy and star of the 30-24 victory over Ireland, in place of Penaud, with Yoram Moefana retaining the other wing spot.
Moefana had stepped in after Villiere missed the 36-17 rout of Scotland with a facial injury.
Villiere is the sole change from that run-out in Murrayfield.
Dupont’s halfback partner is his Toulouse teammate Romain Ntmack, with Gael Fickou and Jonathan Danty in midfield, Moefana on the other wing and Melvyn Jaminet at fullback.
The pack is unaltered, New Zealand-born Uini Atonio and Cyril Baille propping up hooker Julien Marchand, while Cameron Woki and South African-born Paul Willemse are named in the second row.
Anthony Jelonch, Gregory Alldritt and Francois Cros form an ultra-competitive backrow.
Prop Mohamed Haouas comes in for Demba Bamba among the replacements, Galthie going for a five-three forwards-backs split, with Toulouse wing Matthis Lebel named at the expense of Toulon lock Taofifenua after his positive test.
France — 15 Melvyn Jaminet, 14 Yoram Moefana, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Gabin Villiere, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont (c), 8 Anthony Jelonch, 7 Gregory Alldritt, 6 Francois Cros, 5 Paul Willemse, 4 Cameron Woki, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Cyril Baille.
Subs: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Jean-Baptiste Gros, 18 Mohamed Haouas, 19 Thibaud Flament, 20 Dylan Cretin, 21 Maxime Lucu, 22 Thomas Ramos, 23 Matthis Lebel.
Coach: Fabien Galthie (FRA)
© Agence France-Presse
