LILLE, France, Sept 12 (Reuters) - France head coach Fabien Galthie made 12 changes to the team who beat New Zealand in the World Cup curtain raiser as Anthony Jelonch is making a long-awaited comeback to face Uruguay in Lille on Thursday.
"He needed a lot of willpower, a lot of fighting spirit to be here with us," Galthie told a press conference on Tuesday.
Jelonch, who underwent surgery in March and will captain the team on Thursday, said he went through periods of 'doubt'.
From the team who started at the Stade de France, only lock Cameron Woki, centre Yoram Moefana and winger Gabin Villiere will be on the Pierre Mauroy stadium field at kickoff.
"They're a South American team who are going to fight with a lot of aggressiveness and a lot of energy," said Galthie.
Persons:
Fabien Galthie, Anthony Jelonch, Les Bleus, Galthie, Jelonch, I'd, Paul Boudehent, Sekou Macalou, Maxime Lucu, Antoine Dupont, Antoine Hastoy, Matthieu Jalibert, Melvyn Jaminet, France's, Louis Bielle, Cameron Woki, Yoram Moefana, Gabin Villiere, Pierre Mauroy, Paul Bourgarit, Jean, Baptiste Gros, Dorian Aldegheri, William Servat, Lock Bastien Chalureau, Italy, Les, Arthur Vincent, Romain Taofifenua, Pierre Bourgarit, Reda Wardi, Sipili Falatea, Bastien Chalureau, Thibaud Flament, François Cros, Baptiste Couilloud, Thomas Ramos, Julien Pretot, Christian Radnedge
Organizations:
LILLE, New Zealand, All Blacks, Six Nations, Stade de France, Namibia, France, Fiji, South, Thomson
Locations:
France, Uruguay, Lille, scrumhalf, flyhalf, A, Marseille, Lyon, South American