Former EP and Grey High School pupil Jeremy Ward has been named in a France rugby squad that includes several newcomers to prepare for next month's Nations Championship matches.
The in-form 30-year-old South African caught the eye while playing for Stade Français, whom he joined from the Sharks in 2022.
In line with World Rugby regulations, Ward needs to complete five years of residency to become eligible for the French national team, so his inclusion now is purely for training purposes.
In another move, flank Gregory Alldritt returns to the France squad after a year away as coach Fabien Galthie starts looking at his options.
Alldritt captained Les Bleus against Australia in November 2025 in the absence of Antoine Dupont but has not featured since.
The La Rochelle No 8 fell out of favour with Galthie and was then sidelined for the first part of the Nations Championship in July due to a calf injury.
The 29-year-old, who has 58 caps, is now in contention for the second part of the 12-team competition which includes a showdown against two-time defending world champions South Africa on November 13 in Paris.
Also making it onto Galthie's 42-player squad are prop Reda Wardi, lock Tyler Duguid and flyhalf Axel Desperes.
La Rochelle prop Karl Sorin, Perpignan's Theo Forner, Bayonne's Esteban Capilla and Toulon's Mathis Ferte are also among the uncapped players called up to fill the gaps in an injury-hit squad.
Stade Francais centre Tani Vili is another inclusion in the squadup.
Toulouse players Julien Marchand, Thibaud Flament, Emmanuel Meafou and Thomas Ramos, as well as Bordeaux-Begles' Matthieu Jalibert, are out injured so far this season.
After kicking off their campaign Nations Championship against Fiji on November 7 in Lyon, France play South Africa on November 13 and Argentina on November 21.
Forwards: Grégory Alldritt, Hugo Auradou, Paul Boudehent, Joshua Brennan, Esteban Capilla, Guillaume Cramont, François Cros, Tyler Duguid, Sipili Falatea, Alexandre Fischer, Marko Gazzotti, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Mickaël Guillard, Oscar Jegou, Maxime Lamothe, Peato Mauvaka, Charles Ollivon, Jefferson Poirot, Karl Sorin, Tom Staniforth, Tevita Tatafu, Reda Wardi, Cameron Woki.
Backs: Théo Attissogbe, Léo Barré, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Fabien Brau-Boirie, Axel Desperes, Antoine Dupont (c), Mathis Ferté, Théo Forner, Emilien Gailleton, Kalvin Gourgues, Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, Antoine Hastoy, Nolann Le Garrec, Maxime Lucu, Yoram Moefana, Romain Ntamack, Damian Penaud, Tani Vili, Jeremy Ward.
