France add Racing 92's Vakatawa to RWC squad

Nice - France have called up Racing 92 centre Virimi Vakatawa to their Rugby World Cup squad in place of Geoffrey Doumayrou, who will miss the tournament through injury.

Vakatawa, 27, won the first of his 17 caps for France in 2016 but fell out of favour and was dropped after failing to impress during the 2018 Six Nations tournament.

Doumayrou, named in coach Jacques Brunel's initial World Cup squad of 31 players and six reserves in June, was forced out because of an Achilles tendon injury.

France's extended 37-man World Cup squad:

Forwards

Jefferson Poirot, Dany Priso, Guilhem Guirado, Camille Chat, Peato Mauvaka*, Emerick Setiano*, Rabah Slimani, Demba Bamba, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Felix Lambey, Bernard Le Roux, Paul Gabrillagues, Arthur Iturria, Yacouba Camara, Wenceslas Lauret, Gregory Alldritt, Louis Picamoles, Etienne Falgoux, Charles Ollivon, Francois Cros, Paul Willemse

Backs

Antoine Dupont, Baptiste Serin, Maxime Machenaud, Romain Ntamack, Camille Lopez, Wesley Fofana, Gael Fickou, Virimi Vakatawa, Sofiane Guitoune, Yoann Huget, Damien Penaud, Alivereti Raka*, Thomas Ramos, Maxime Medard, Anthony Belleau, Vincent Rattez