France introduce some fresh faces
New France coach Pilippe Saint Andre has made a few key changes to the team that contested the World Cup Final for their Six Nations opener against Italy at the Stade de France on Saturday.
Saint-Andre, the 44-year-old who succeeded Marc Lievremont, has included five players from Top 14 champions Toulouse and five from Clermont, including Vincent Debaty who has just one Test cap and and Wesley Fofana who will make his debut.
The new France boss said that his team would be on their guard against Italy as they look to get their campaign off to a positive start on home turf.
“We have enormous respect for the Italians, their team and Jacques Brunel (coach) whose competences we are aware of,” said Saint-Andre referring to France’s shock loss to the Italians in their Six Nations clash in Rome last year.
“I can feel there is a slight air of revenge among those who were on the pitch in 2011 in Italy. They want to try and turn the clock back knowing that it’s going to be very complicated because it’s a team that has made big, big progress,” said the France coach.
“The aim is to get a good start in the Six Nations. We’re going to focus and do all we can to win this first match on front of our public in Stade de France.
“It’s an experienced team with a large base of World Cup players and with youngsters with a lot of potential such as Debaty on the left, well backed up by (Nicolas) Mas, (William) Servat and (Pascal) Pape, and also Fofana, who is used to working in the centre with (Aurelien) Rougerie,” said Saint-Andre.
The versatile 24-year-old Fofana can play at centre or wing and will link up in the midfield with his Clermont captain Aurelien Rougerie.
“He’s the only player who kept his place at his club with the return of the World Cup players,” explained Saint-Andre of Fofana. “He will be surrounded by experienced players. We’ve given him a chance, it’s up to him to seize it.”
Prop Debaty, 30, gets his second call-up after playing against Romania during the Bernard Laporte-era in 2006, while Clermont winger Julien Malzieu returns for the first time since June 2010.
“We have very few French props. He’s (Debaty) 1.88 metres, 123kg, he moves well and is capable of hitting hard. He has the build of a top level player,” said Saint-Andre.
Montpellier flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc, who played mostly a replacement’s role during the World Cup, returns to first choice line-up, where he will link up with Biarritzs scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili, who was preferred over Morgan Parra.
France: 15 Maxime Medard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurelien Rougerie, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Julien Malzieu, 10 Francois Trinh-Duc, 9 Dmitri Yachvili, 8 Julien Bonnaire, 7 Louis Picamoles, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (captain), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Pape, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Vincent Debaty.
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Jean-Baptiste Poux, 18 Yohann Maestri, 19 Imanol Harinordoquy, 20 Morgan Parra, 21 Lionel Beauxis, 22 Maxime Mermoz.
Date: Saturday, February 4
Venue: Stade de France, Paris
Kick-off: 14.30 (GMT)
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Andrew Small (England), John Lacey (Ireland)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)
