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Tyler Duguid could make his test debut against the All Blacks next month after being named in the France squad to tour New Zealand. The 24-year-old Canadian lock now qualifies for Les Bleus under the five-year registration regulation and is one of 37 players selected by Fabien Galthié to make the trip south.
Originally from Edmonton, Duguid represented Canada at age-grade level up to under-20, initially earning an academy contract with Narbonne in 2019 before signing with Montpellier the following year. He has since become a regular starter with the Top 14 side and after coming to the attention of French selectors, Duguid started against an England XV in a non-cap international at Twickenham this past weekend.
Under World Rugby Regulation 8, tour selection alone does not tie Duguid to France though a nomination in their match 23 would officially make him ineligible to play for Canada for the time being. Once capped by France, Duguid could still opt to play for his home country in the future though it would require him to observe a three-year stand-down period under the Union Transfer regulation.
Duguid’s older brother Kaden made his test bow for the Maple Leafs this past year while sister Abby has also represented Canada on the international stage. Their uncle is John Tait, a long-time Canadian international who also played professionally in Europe and coached the Canadian Women’s 7s team to an Olympic Bronze Medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Long-time France midfielder Gaël Fickou will lead the squad that also includes Racing 92 clubmate Cameron Woki, the loose forward today cleared by World Rugby after receiving a red card at Twickenham. There are 14 uncapped players, among them two other players who qualify on residency grounds – South African lock or flanker Jacobus van Tonder and Fijian outside back Alivereti Duguivalu.
France will play three tests against New Zealand next month. The first will take place in Dunedin on July 5, followed by July 12 in Wellington and finally July 19 in Hamilton.
LOOSEHEAD PROP
Giorgi Beria (Perpignan) 1 cap
Baptiste Erdocio (Montpellier) uncapped
Paul Mallez (Provence) uncapped
HOOKER
Gaëtan Barlot (Castres) 9 caps
Pierre Bourgarit (La Rochelle) 14 caps
Guillaume Marchand (Lyon) uncapped
TIGHTHEAD PROP
Demba Bamba (Racing 92) 29 caps
Georges-Henri Colombe (La Rochelle) 9 caps
Régis Montagne (Clermont Auvergne) uncapped
Rabah Slimani (Leinster, IR) 57 caps
SECOND ROW
Hugo Auradou (Pau) 5 caps
Tyler Duguid (Montpellier) uncapped
Mickaël Guillard (Lyon) 10 caps
Matthias Halagahu (Toulon) uncapped
Romain Taofifenua (Racing 92) 54 caps
BACK ROW
Esteban Abadie (Toulon) 1 cap
Alexandre Fischer (Clermont Auvergne) uncapped
Killian Tixeront (Clermont Auvergne) 2 caps
Jacobus van Tonder (Perpignan) uncapped
Théo William (Lyon) uncapped
Cameron Woki (Racing 92) 30 caps
SCRUMHALF
Thibault Daubagna (Pau) uncapped
Baptiste Jauneau (Clermont Auvergne) 2 caps
Nolann Le Garrec (Racing 92) 10 caps
FLYHALF
Léo Berdeu (Lyon) 1 cap
Antoine Hastoy (La Rochelle) 7 caps
Joris Segonds (Bayonne) 1 cap
MIDFIELD
Léon Darricarrère (Clermont Auvergne) 1 cap
Gaël Fickou (Racing 92) 94 caps
Émilien Gailleton (Pau) 7 caps
Théo Millet (Lyon) uncapped
OUTSIDE BACKS
Theo Attissogbe (Pau) 5 caps
Léo Barre (Stade Francais) 7 caps
Alivereti Duguivalu (Perpignan) uncapped
Tom Spring (Bayonne) uncapped
Cheikh Tiberghien (Bayonne) uncapped
Gabin Villière (Toulon) 18 caps
