Several Racing 92 and RC Toulon players who played in last weekend’s European finals have been rewarded for their efforts with call-ups to France’s matchday 23 to play Wales on Saturday evening in Paris. 

Racing lock Bernard Le Roux and centre Virimi Vakatawa, who both featured in the French side’s Heineken Champions Cup final defeat to Exeter Chiefs last Saturday, have been selected to start by France head coach Fabien Galthié this weekend. 

Wing Teddy Thomas – who scored six tries in five Heineken Champions Cup matches but didn’t play in the final – also starts for Les Bleus, while hooker Camille Chat is on the replacements’ bench. 

Meanwhile, European Rugby Challenge Cup finalists Toulon are represented in France’s starting XV by club captain and flanker Charles Ollivon, who will lead his country on Saturday.  

Toulon, who were beaten 32-19 by Bristol Bears in Aix-en-Provence in last Friday’s final, will also have prop Jean-Baptiste Gros, lock Romain Taofifénua and scrum-half Baptiste Serin on the bench.