Posolo Tuilange, the son of Samoan legend Henry, is set to make his France debut after coach Fabien Galthie named him on the bench for Friday's match.
The rising star, who helped the French U20 national team win the age group world championship last year, quickly made his name in the top 14.
Weighing 149kg (23rd and above), Tuirangi's power at close range is obvious and he is a difficult figure for France's top-tier defenders to beat.
disease
Fellow second row big man Romain Taofifenua has fallen ill and was ruled out of the Six Nations match against Ireland.
As a result, the 19-year-old rejoined the main group on Wednesday and was selected as a substitute as Taofiwhenua was unavailable.
Locks weighing over 20 pounds are popular in France, including Australian duo Will Skelton and Emmanuel Meffou, who have been named among the best locksmiths in Europe.
Mairfoux was due to make his debut for Les Bleus on Friday, having been eligible since December 2023, but he was ruled out of the game after picking up an injury in the Champions Cup.
This means that Paul Willemse, who weighs 20th, returns to the French XV for the first time since the World Cup preliminaries last August.
injury
Willemse withdrew from the World Championships due to injury and a lack of ballast could hurt the French squad, with relatively lighter Cameron Woki and Thibault Flament starting in the quarter-final against South Africa.
Taofiwhenua came off the bench late in that game, but head coach Galthie clearly recognizes the value of having at least two big locks on the team.
As a result, Tuirangi is a natural successor to Taofiwhenua, despite his young age and short stature.
At 6ft 4in, he is much smaller than Skelton and Meefaw, leading some to wonder if his future is in the back row, but as it turns out, these two are the most likely to jump at the lineout. is rarely used.
His weight is useful in scrums, but he can also be used to get teammates over the gain line in midfield from first-phase balls.
team
Revised lineup for France: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Damien Penault, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Jonathan Danti, 11 Yoram Moefana, 10 Mathieu Jalibert, 9 Maxime Roux, 8 Gregory Aldritt (c), 7 Charles Ollibon, 6 Francois Clos, 5 Paul Willems, 4 Paul Gavrilag, 3 Wini Atonio, 2 Piet Mauvaca, 1 Cyril Baille
Replacement: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Leda Wardy, 18 Dorian Aldegueri, 19 Posoro Tuirangi, 20 Paul Boudéin, 21 Cameron Wouki, 22 Nolan Le Garrec, 23 Louis Biel Bierley
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