November Internationals 2024 – France vs Argentina – ARN Guide – Americas Rugby News

Fourth in the world take on Fifth as France host Argentina in Paris on Friday. It is the third and final November test match for both Les Bleus and Los Pumas. The fixture will be the third between the countries in 2024; France won in Mendoza and Argentina won in Buenos Aires in July. Both teams are battered and bruised following matches over the previous two weekends. France hosted Japan and New Zealand while Argentina took-on Italy in Udine and Ireland in Dublin.

FORM GUIDE

Current World Ranking: 4 (88.08 points)
2024-11-16 – France 30-29 New Zealand (Paris, FR)
2024-11-09 – France 52-12 Japan (Paris, FR)
2024-07-13 – Argentina 33-25 France (Buenos Aires, AR)
2024-07-10 – Uruguay 28-43 France (Montevideo, UY)
2024-07-06 – Argentina 13-28 France (Mendoza, AR)
2024-03-16 – France 33-31 England (Lyon, FR)
2024-03-10 – Wales 24-45 France (Cardiff, GB-CYM)
2024-02-25 – France 13-13 Italy (Lille, FR)
2024-02-10 – Scotland 16-20 France (Edinburgh, GB-SCO)
2024-02-02 – France 17-38 Ireland (Marseilles, FR)

Current World Ranking: 5 (85.40 points)
2004-11-15 – Ireland vs Argentina (Dublin, IE)
2024-11-09 – Italy vs Argentina (Udine, IT)
2024-09-28 – South Africa 48-07 Argentina (Nelspruit, ZA)
2024-09-21 – Argentina 29-28 South Africa (Santiago de Estero, AR)
2024-09-07 – Argentina 67-27 Australia (Santa Fe, AR)
2024-08-31 – Argentina 19-20 Australia (La Plata, AR)
2024-08-17 – New Zealand 42-10 Argentina (Auckland, NZ)
2024-08-10 – New Zealand 30-38 Argentina (Wellington, NZ)
2024-07-20 – Uruguay 05-79 Argentina (Punta del Este, UY)
2024-07-13 – Argentina 33-25 France (Buenos Aires, AR)
2024-07-06 – Argentina 13-28 France (Mendoza, AR)

3 Uini Atonio replaces Tevita Tatafu
6 François Cros replaces Paul Boudehent
7 Paul Boudehent moves from 6; replaces Alexandre Roumat
8 Charles Ollivon replaces Gregory Aldritt
15 Léo Barré replaces Romain Buros

9 Gonzalo García replaces Gonzalo Bertranou

+ MOST CAPS

– G Fickou (92); U Atonio (62); A Dupont (54); C Ollivon (45); J Marchand (39); T Ramos (38)

– P Matera (108); J Montoya (104); M Moroni (88); G Petti (86); M Kremer (72); S Carreras (52)

+ LEAST CAPS

– E Meafou (4); M Guillard (4); E Gailleton (5); GH Colombe (6); N Le Garrec (6); A Roumat (6)

– R Isgró (6); I Calles (7); G García (10); F Molina (11); J Oviedo (12); T Albornoz (16); I Ruiz (17)

+ NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Romain Taofifenua (LO); Grégory Alldritt (N8); Romain Ntamack (FH); Damian Penaud (WI)

– Eduardo Bello (TH); Facundo Isa (N8); Santiago Chocobares (CE); Emiliano Boffelli (WI)

• The Paris showdown is the third battle between Los Pumas and Les Bleus in 2024. France won in Mendoza and Argentina won in Buenos Aires in July.
• France’s most recent defeat was vs Argentina. Les Blues defeated Japan and New Zealand this month.
• International competition between France and Argentina began in 1949.
• France have only lost 3 of their last 34 home games (30 wins, 1 draw) and have won each of their most recent 3. However, 4 of their last 6 games in France have ended with margins of just 2 points or less.
• France have lost only one of their last nine matches (7 wins, 1 draw), but their only defeat in this period was the 33-25 loss against Argentina in Buenos Aires in July.
• The previous four matches between France and Argentina at the Stade de France were all been decided by margins of less than 10 points, with two wins each.
• Los Pumas last match at the Stade de France was the Rugby World Cup Bronze Final loss against England. France were eliminated, at home, by champions South Africa at the Quarter Finals stage. Argentina’s last win over France at the Stade de France was in 2014. Guido Petti started then days after his 20th birthday.
• French captain Antoine Dupont is one of three nominees for World Rugby’s Men’s Sevens Player of the Year. Nolann de Garrec is one of four selected for try of the year. World Rugby nominated a grand total of zero Argentines across all categories.
• France has four changes with Uini Atonio, François Cros, Charles Ollivon and Léo Barré all starting. Gonzalo García is the only change to Los Pumas’ starting formation.
• Replacements Marcos Kremer and Mateo Carreras return for the Argentina for first time since the Rugby Championship. Mateo Carreras and Juan Cruz Mallía are the top Pumas try scorers for 2024 with 5 each.
• France’s players all play domestically in the Top 14. In addition, Argentines Joel Sclavi, Guido Petti, Joaquín Oviedo, Bautista Delguy, Juan Cruz Mallía, Ignacio Ruiz, Ignacio Calles, Francisco Gómez Kodela, Marcos Kremer, and Mateo Carreras play in the Top 14.
• Captain Julián Montoya will join Pau next season. In addition, Gonzalo Garcia, and Tomás Albornoz are rumored to be joining Bordeaux and Clermont from their Italian United Rugby Championship (URC) teams.
• Many players are teammates with members of the opposition. Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Pau, Stade Français and Toulouse have players in both teams’ 23.
• French second-rower Thibaud Flament played in Buenos Aires for Felipe Contepomi’s Club Newman in 2017-2018. He speaks Spanish.
• Uini Atonio and Emmanuel Meafou are products of New Zealand and Australian rugby systems. Argentina’s 23 players are all homegrown.

Both teams are playing enterprising rugby but will they do so on Friday? The winter has arrived early in Paris. Cold conditions are expected and a storm warning. This will be in the back of the minds of the players who are looking to finish the year on a high. The combative play of both at the breakdown looms as a focal point of the contest. Many players know each-other well; indeed, Argentina is a rare opponent for France with many players who can clearly understand their language as Los Pumas have many French-speakers. France are favorites to win in Paris.

FRANCE
1 Jean-Baptiste Gros, 2 Peato Mauvaka, 3 Uini Atonio, 4 Thibaud Flament, 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 6 Francois Cros, 7 Paul Boudehent, 8 Charles Ollivon, 9 Antoine Dupont, 10 Thomas Ramos, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 12 Yoram Moefana, 13 Gael Fickou, 14 Gabin Villière, 15 Leo Barré

Replacements: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Reda Wardi, 18 Georges-Henri Colombe, 19 Alexandre Roumat, 20 Mickael Guillard, 21 Marko Gazzotti, 22 Nolann Le Garrec, 23 Emilen Gailleton

ARGENTINA
1 Thomas Gallo, 2 Julián Montoya (capt.), 3 Joel Sclavi, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 6 Pablo Matera (vice-capt), 7 Juan Martín González, 8 Joaquín Oviedo, 9 Gonzalo Garcia, 10 Tomás Albornoz, 11 Bautista Delguy, 12 Matías Moroni 13 Lucio Cinti, 14 Rodrigo Isgró, 15 Juan Cruz Mallía (vice-capt.)

Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Ignacio Calles, 18 Francisco Gómez Kodela, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Marcos Kremer, 21 Lautaro Bazán Vélez, 22 Santiago Carreras, 23 Mateo Carreras

Date: Friday, November 22
Kickoff: 9:10pm (France); 4:10pm (Argentina)
Venue: Stade de France (Paris, France)
Broadcasts: ESPN, Disney + (Argentina)
Weather Forecast: Storm Warning, possibly snow. 3 °C. Wind 12 km/h

Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant Referees: Andrea Piardi (Italy); Morné Ferreira (South Africa)
TMO: Ian Tempest (England)
Bunker: Olly Hodges (Ireland)

HISTORY  vs (1949-2024)

2024-07-16 – Argentina 33, France 22 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
2024-07-16 – Argentina 13, France 28 (Mendoza, Argentina)
2021-11- 06 – France 29, Argentina 20 (Paris, France)
2019-09-21 – France 23, Argentina 21 (Tokyo, Japan)
2018-11-17 – France 28, Argentina 13 (Lille, France)
2016-06-25 – Argentina 0, France 27 (Tucumán, Argentina)
2016-06-19 – Argentina 30, France 19 (Tucumán, Argentina)
2014-11-22 – France 13, Argentina 18 (Paris, France)
2012-11-17 – France 39, Argentina 22 (Lille, France)
2012-06-23 – Argentina 10, France 49 (Tucumán, Argentina)
2012-06-16 – Argentina 23, France 20 (Córdoba, Argentina)
2010-11-20 – France 15, Argentina 09 (Montpellier, France)
2010-06-26 – Argentina 46, France 13 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
2008-11-08 – France 12, Argentina 06 (Marseille, France)
2007-10-19 – France 10, Argentina 34 (Paris, France)
2007-09-07 – France 12, Argentina 17 (Paris, France)
2006-11-25 – France 27, Argentina 26 (Paris, France)
2004-11-20 – France 14, Argentina 24 (Marseille, France)
2003-06-20 – Argentina 10, France 06 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
2003-06-14 – Argentina 33, France 32 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
2002-06-15 – Argentina 28, France 27 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1999-10-24 – France 47, Argentina 26 (Dublin, Ireland)
1998-11-14 – France 34, Argentina 14 (Nantes, France)
1998-06-20 – Argentina 12, France 37 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1998-06-13 – Argentina 18, France 35 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1997-10-26 – France 23, Argentina 27 (Tarbes, France)
1996-06-29 – Argentina 15, France 34 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1996-06-22 – Argentina 27, France 34 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1995-10-21 – Argentina 12, France 47 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1992-11-14 – France 20, Argentina 24 (Nantes, France)
1992-07-11 – Argentina 09, France 33 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1992-07-04 – Argentina 12, France 27 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1988-11-11 – France 28, Argentina 18 (Lille, France)
1988-11-05 – France 29, Argentina 09 (Nantes, France)
1988-06-05 – Argentina 18, France 06 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1988-06-18 – Argentina 15, France 18 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1986-06-07 – Argentina 09, France 22 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1986-05-31 – Argentina 15, France 13 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1985-06-29 – Argentina 15, France 23 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1985-06-22 – Argentina 24, France 16 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1982-11-20 – France 13, Argentina 06 (Paris, France)
1982-11-14 – France 25, Argentina 12 (Toulouse, France)
1977-07-02 – Argentina 18, France 18 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1977-06-25 – Argentina 03, France 26 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1975-10-25 – France 36, Argentina 21 (Paris, France)
1975-10-19 – France 19, Argentina 06 (Lyon, France)
1974-06-29 – Argentina 27, France 31 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1974-06-20 – Argentina 15, France 20 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1960-08-17 – Argentina 06, France 29 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1960-08-06 – Argentina 03, France 12 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1960-07-23 – Argentina 03, France 37 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1954-09-12 – Argentina 03, France 30 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1954-08-29 – Argentina 08, France 22 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1949-09-04 – Argentina 03, France 12 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1949-08-28 – Argentina 00, France 05 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

HEAD TO HEAD  vs (1949-2024)

FRANCE Wins 39
ARGENTINA Wins 15
DRAWS 1