Rugby - Injured trio involved in unchanged France squad for Scotland clash

FILE PHOTO: France's Maxime Medard at National Rugby Center, Marcoussis, France - January 31, 2019. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

(Reuters) - France coach Jacques Brunel has given Wesley Fofana, Maxime Medard and Uini Atonio a chance to prove their fitness after the trio were included in the 31-man training squad for the Six Nations clash against Scotland.

All three players started the opening game against Wales before missing Sunday's 44-8 defeat by England at Twickenham.

Prop Atonio, who travelled to London with the team, has been struggling with a knee injury, while Fofana had a thigh strain and Medard needed an MRI on a shoulder problem.

FILE PHOTO: France's Wesley Fofana at National Rugby Center, Marcoussis, France - February 5, 2019. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

Brunel has chosen to stick with the same squad that featured in the first two matches of the tournament, despite facing criticism for a dismal defensive performance against England.

With the title already well out of their reach, Les Bleus must now avoid defeat against Scotland at the Stade de France on Feb. 23 if they do not want to play a 'wooden spoon' clash in Rome against Italy in their last outing.

FILE PHOTO: France's Uini Atonio at National Rugby Center, Marcoussis, France - January 28, 2019. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

Full squad

Forwards: Jefferson Poirot (Bordeaux-Bègles), Dany Priso (Stade Rochelais), Guilhem Guirado (c) (RC Toulon), Pierre Bourgarit (Stade Rochelais), Camille Chat (Racing 92), Dorian Aldegheri (Stade Toulousain), Uini Atonio (Stade Rochelais), Demba Bamba (CA Brive), Felix Lambey (Lyon OU), Sebastien Vahaamahina (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Paul Willemse (Montpellier), Gregory Alldritt (Stade Rochelais), Yacouba Camara (Montpellier), Arthur Iturria (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Wenceslas Lauret (Racing 92), Louis Picamoles (Montpellier), Fabien Sanconnie (Racing 92)

Backs: Antoine Dupont (Stade Toulousain), Morgan Parra (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Baptiste Serin (Bordeaux-Bègles), Anthony Belleau (RC Toulon), Camille Lopez (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Mathieu Bastareaud (RC Toulon), Geoffrey Doumayrou (Stade Rochelais), Wesley Fofana (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Romain Ntamack (Stade Toulousain), Gael Fickou (Stade Français), Yoann Huget (Stade Toulousain), Maxime Medard (Stade Toulousain), Damian Penaud (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Thomas Ramos (Stade Toulousain)

(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)