Second-string.

The Autumn Nations Cup is set to end in a complete farce this weekend with finalists France missing the majority of their first-team players for this weekend’s curtain closer with England.

Head coach Fabien Galthie unveiled a 31-man squad to face England yesterday – containing just 121 caps.

France captain Charles Ollivon, superstar nine Antoine Dupont, Virimi Vakatawa, Romain Ntamack and every other player who featured in France’s famous Six Nations victory against England in February will be unavailable to Galthie on Sunday.

After a threat of legal action by the Top 14 clubs, the French Rugby Federation agreed that no player would feature in more than three games this autumn, with Galthie already putting strong sides out against Wales, Ireland and Scotland.

Perhaps a fitting way to end a tournament that really has failed to deliver.