The Prague Post - Aussie-born Staniforth was on France radar for years, says Galthie

The 31-year-old lock recently qualified for France on residency grounds having spent more than five years playing for Castres in the Top 14.

And Galthie took the opportunity last week to call up Staniforth for his expanded 42-man squad ahead of the reigning champions' Six Nations opener against Ireland next week.

"He was a player who we were interested in already three years ago," Galthie said of Staniforth, who was still some way off qualifying for France back then.

"He was the best tackler in the league, he was impressive in the role of a lock and when I spoke to him, he said: 'I want to play for France'."

Staniforth's inclusion is perhaps surprising given his age and the fact that he missed almost all of last season through injury.

"It's true that he was out for a year, he had a serious ankle injury and now he's playing well again for Castres, so we will see," said Galthie.

"That doesn't mean we will pick him, but he's in the extended squad."

The former Brumbies and Waratahs player was one of six locks called up for the squad.

New Zealand-born Emmanuel Meafou and his Toulouse teammate Thibaud Flament started two of France's three Tests in November, with Romain Taofifenua and Hugo Auradou on the bench both times.

Flament has pulled out of the squad to accompany his wife in fertility treatment, opening up an opportunity for someone else to partner Meafou against Ireland.

- Foreign interest -

Staniforth and Meafou are not the only players in the French squad born outside of the country.

Prop Uini Atonio, who pulled out injured on Monday, was born in New Zealand, while fellow front-rower Tevita Tatafu was born in Tonga.

"All countries have done it. As soon as foreign players can play for their federation, head coaches take an interest," said Galthie.

Several star players in the Six Nations hail from southern hemisphere countries, such as Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe (South Africa), Ireland centre Bundee Aki (New Zealand) and wing Mack Hansen (Australia), and Italy centre Ignacio Brex (Argentina).

The Six Nations opener on February 5 will be France scrum-half Antoine Dupont's first match back in the blue jersey since last year's tournament, when he suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in Les Bleus' penultimate match, a crucial 42-27 win away to the then-reigning champions Ireland.

"Obviously I'm very excited to play this first game at home. It's a bit special for me as I didn't wear the French jersey for one year," Dupont said at the official Six Nations launch at Edinburgh Castle.

"I'm very excited, it's a magical tournament, it's still the same feeling each time we play these kind of games."

Z.Pavlik--TPP