France suffer Lauret blow
Biarritz back row forward Wenceslas Lauret became the third player in three days to withdraw from France's Six Nations squad when he was ruled out for Sunday's opener with Italy with concussion.
The 23-year-old – capped three times – has been replaced by the uncapped Toulon forward Pierrick Gunther in the 33-man squad which will be whittled down to 23 on Monday by coach Philippe Saint-Andre.
Lauret, who also had to pull out of the squad for the November tests because of injury, suffered the concussion early in the second-half of last Friday's Top 14 loss to champions Toulouse.
Lauret follows the withdrawals of fullback Brice Dulin on Friday with a groin problem and leading try scorer Vincent Clerc, who was ruled out on Saturday with a hamstring injury.
France – revised:
Forwards: Vincent Debaty (Clermont), Thomas Domingo (Clermont), Yannick Forestier (Castres), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont), Guilhem Guirado (Perpignan), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing-Metro), David Attoub (Stade Francais), Luc Ducalcon (Racing-Metro), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Pascal Pape (Stade Francais, capt), Jocelino Suta (Toulon), Romain Taofifenua (Perpignan), Damien Chouly (Clermont), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse), Pierrick Gunther (Toulon), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse).
Backs: Maxime Machenaud (Racing-Metro), Morgan Parra (Clermont), Frederic Michalak (Toulon), Francois Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Jean-Marcellin Buttin (Clermont), Hugo Bonneval (Stade Francais), Maxime Medard (Toulouse), Benjamin Fall (Racing-Metro), Adrien Planté (Perpignan), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Florian Fritz (Toulouse), Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon).
AFP
