Theo Fages blow for France as Championship duo make World Cup squad

Championship sides Halifax Panthers, through halfback Louis Jouffret, and Featherstone Rovers, with forward Gadwin Springer, are represented in a France World Cup squad also featuring Salford Red Devils fullback Morgan Escaré.

But Huddersfield Giants halfback Theo Fages misses out through injury.

Catalans Dragons have 13 players involved, including departing former Tonga international Samisoni Langi.

The 29-year-old back qualifies through the residency rule, having played for Les Dracs for the past five years.

Langi represented Tonga at the 2013 World Cup and made the squad four years later, although he didn’t figure in any ties.

Coach Laurent Frayssinous has picked seven Toulouse Olympique players plus their old boy Maxime Puech, the now Albi prop.

France are among England’s opponents in Group A, with the two clashing at the University of Bolton Stadium on Saturday, October 22. 

France squad: Lambert Belmas (Toulouse Olympique), Alrix Da Costa (Catalans Dragons), Jordan Dezaria (Catalans Dragons), Morgan Escaré (Salford Red Devils), Benjamin Garcia (Catalans Dragons), Tony Gigot (Toulouse Olympique), Mickaël Goudemand (Catalans Dragons), Benjamin Jullien (Catalans Dragons), Matthieu Laguerre (Catalans Dragons), Samisoni Langi (Catalans Dragons), Corentin Le Cam (Catalans Dragons), Paul Marcon (Toulouse Olympique), Anthony Marion (Toulouse Olympique), Arthur Mourgue (Catalans Dragons), Eloi Pelissier (Toulouse Olympique), Maxime Puech (Toulouse Olympique), Arthur Romano (Catalans Dragons), César Rougé (Catalans Dragons), Justin Sangaré (Toulouse Olympique), Paul Séguier (Catalans Dragons), Gadwin Springer (Featherstone Rovers), Maxime Stefani (Toulouse Olympique), Louis Jouffret (Halifax Panthers), Fouad Yaha (Catalans Dragons).

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