Team news: Jalibert at full-back for France, Carter gets All Blacks wing nod

Should Jalibert be unavailable, Antoine Hastoy will wear ​the number 15 jersey, after his impressive performance as a ​late replacement against the All Blacks, while Romain Ntamack is at flyhalf.

"I promised Matthieu the first test match (at flyhalf) and Romain the second. ​They were promises, so I'm keeping them," Galthie said.

2024 ​Olympic Sevens rugby gold medallist Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang earns a first cap on ‌the ⁠wing in a back three that also includes Jalibert and Theo Attissogbe.

Australia-born prop Moses Alo-Emile will also earn his first cap as part of a forward pack with five ​changes. Only ​fellow prop Demba ⁠Bamba, number eight Marko Gazzotti and flanker Oscar Jegou remain from the side that ​lost to New Zealand.

Declan Meredith will make his debut for Australia against France as the reconfigured Wallabies paper the cracks created by more injury woes.  Queensland fullback Jock Campbell, one of the side’s best in his first Test in nearly four years against Ireland a week ago, has been replaced by Tom Wright and redeployed as a playmaking back-up option off the bench.

It comes with the first and second-choice No.10s in the two-point loss to Ireland – Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson – both suffering calf injuries.

Meanwhile, New Zealand coach Dave Rennie has made five changes to his starting team for the Nations Championship Test against Italy, while shaking up his replacements bench.

Leroy Carter was a surprise choice to start on the left wing for Saturday’s Test in Wellington, replacing Caleb Clarke from the All Blacks side that beat France 34-32 in Christchurch a week earlier, while Billy Proctor comes in at outside centre.

Prop Tyrel Lomax, lock Tupou Vaa’i and flanker Wallace Sititi also come into the XV.

Among six new faces on the replacements bench are the German-born loose forward Anton Segner and wing Josh Moorby, who are both in line to make their debuts.

Elsewhere, England have given starts to Henry Slade and Guy Pepper as the only two changes made for Saturday’s clash with Fiji at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

In an indication of the importance of the match to halt a five-Test losing run, head coach Steve Borthwick has opted against rotating his team for the weakest opponents of the July tour.

Slade comes in at outside centre as Tommy Freeman moves to the right wing, after Cadan Murley was ruled out of the remainder of the opening phase of the Nations Championship because of a shoulder injury.

Pepper is the only new face up front in a direct swap with Tom Curry at openside, with Curry dropping to the bench.

South African-born centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg, wing Noah Caluori and prop George Kloska are poised to make their Test debuts after being picked among the replacements.

England’s 45-21 rout by South Africa at Ellis Park last Saturday has turned Saturday’s Liverpool collision into a must-win encounter as pressure builds on Borthwick, who is now 46 games into his reign.

Borthwick fields his strongest available backline against dangerous Fiji with veteran Slade rewarded after making an impression off the bench against the Springboks and for his stellar season at Exeter.

Freeman’s move back to the wing where he is a world-class threat signals a pause to the experiment of playing him in the number 13 jersey.

Marcus Smith continues at full-back after being a late addition to the team against South Africa once George Furbank was ruled out of the remainder of the tour by appendicitis.

“We’ve had a really positive week of preparation, and the players have worked hard in training,” Borthwick said.

“We know Fiji will provide a tough challenge. They are a dangerous side who will demand the very best from us.

“It’s fantastic to be playing at Hill Dickinson Stadium, which is an outstanding venue.

“There is a real passion for rugby across the north of England, and we’re looking forward to experiencing a brilliant atmosphere in Liverpool.” 

FRANCE (v Australia): M Jalibert, T ​Attissogbe, F Brau-Boirie, Y Moefana, A Grandidier-Nkanang, R Ntamack, M Lucu (captain); (8-1) M Gazzotti, O Jegou, L Nouchi, E Meafou, F Verhaeghe, D ​Bamba, P Mauvaka, M Alo-Emile.

Replacements: M ​Lamothe, J Poirot, T Tatafu, H Auradou, T Staniforth, K Tixeront, N Le ​Garrec, K Gourgues.

AUSTRALIA (v France): T Wright, M Jorgensen, J Aukuso Suaalii, L Ikitau, D Pietsch, D Meredith, R Lonergan; (8-1): H Wilson (captain), F McReight, R Valetini, J Williams, J Canham, A Alaalatoa, J Nasser, A Bell.

Replacements: B Paenga-Amosa, J Slipper, T Tupou, L Shaw, N Champion de Crespigny, T McDermott, J Campbell, FDaugunu.

NEW ZEALAND (v Italy): D McKenzie, W Jordan, B Proctor, J Barrett, L Carter, R Love, C Roigard; (8-1): A Savea (captain), L Jacobson, W Sititi, T Vaa’i, S Darry, T Lomax, C Taylor, E de Groot.

Replacements: S Taukei’aho, G Bower, P Tosi, J Lord, A Segner, C Ratima, A Lienert-Brown, J Moorby.

England: M Smith (Harlequins); T Freeman (Northampton), H Slade (Exeter), S Atkinson (Gloucester), I Feyi-Waboso (Exeter); F Smith (Northampton), J van Poortvliet (Leicester); E Genge (Bristol), J George (Saracens, capt), J Heyes (Leicester), A Coles (Northampton), G Martin (Saracens), O Chessum (Leicester), G Pepper (Bath), B Earl (Saracens).

Replacements: L Cowan-Dickie (Sale), A Opoku-Fordjour (Sale), G Kloska (Bristol), T Curry (Sale), H Pollock (Northampton), A Mitchell (Northampton), B Janse van Rensburg (Bristol), N Caluori (Saracens).