SA's Spedding to replace Dulin
Bayonne's South African-born fullback Scott Spedding has been added to the injury-hit French squad for their November tests.
The call-up of the 28-year-old Spedding follows after it was confirmed that highly-rated fullback Brice Dulin will play no part in France's November tests.
France, who have had another forgettable year under head coach Philippe Saint-Andre, open their campaign against Fiji next Saturday – followed by Tests against Argentina and Australia.
Spedding, who played for South African at the Under-21 World Championship in 2006, was schooled at St John's College in Johannesburg and also played for the Sharks – before he headed to France where he played for Brive from 2008 to 2012 and then joined Bayonne.
On September 28 this year he confirmed on Twitter that he had acquired French citizenship.
The 24-year-old Racing-Metro star, Dulin, – capped 18 times – will miss a month after suffering a stress fracture of the left shin.
"We noticed the crack at the end of the training camp with the French squad on Wednesday," said Dulin, who was named French international player of the year last month.
"As a result of the tests I have been told to rest for four to five weeks in order to get the bone to regenerate.
"If I had continued to put pressure on the bone it would have broken completely and that would have cost me a lot of time.
"I am disappointed but I am consoled by the fact that it could have been more serious."
His main challenger for the fullback role in the national side, Maxime Medard, is also a doubt as the Toulouse back had to come off before the half-hour mark in their Top 14 game with Lyon on Saturday.
The 27-year-old – capped 40 times – had scored a try and set one up before he felt a pain in his groin and asked to be replaced.
"I heard my groin give way and after taking a few more steps I felt it was painful. I couldn't have gone on for much longer so I thought it best to be replaced by a fit player," said Medard.
"I am afraid that it is serious, but we will see. We have taken the first steps to try and heal it by putting ice on it.
"I will go to Marcoussis [the French training centre] on Sunday and undergo scans either then or on Monday.
"I have been injury free for several weeks but they are part of life of being a rugby player. That is life."
France's record under 47-year-old Saint-Andre is a mediocre 11 victories, two draws and 16 defeats in his 29 Test matches since he took over from Marc Lievremont after the 2011 World Cup where they lost 7-8 to hosts the All Blacks in the Final.
France squad:
Forwards: Xavier Chiocci (Toulon), Alexandre Menini (Toulon), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont), Guilhem Guirado (Toulon), Nicolas Mas (Montpellier), Uini Atonio (La Rochelle), Alexandre Flanquart (Stade Français), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Pascal Papé (Stade Français), Sébastien Vahaamahina (Clermont), Damien Chouly (Clermont), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse), Bernard Le Roux (Racing-Métro), Virgile Bruni (Toulon), Charles Ollivon (Bayonne), Yacouba Camara (Toulouse)
Backs: Rory Kockott (Castres), Sébastien Tillous-Borde (Toulon), Rémi Tales (Castres), Camille Lopez (Clermont), Pierre Bernard (Bordeaux-Bègles), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Wesley Fofana (Stade Français), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon), Alexandre Dumoulin (Racing-Métro), Teddy Thomas (Racing-Métro), Maxime Médard (Toulouse), Benjamin Fall (Montpellier), Scott Spedding (Bayonne), Yoann Huget (Toulouse)
Source: AFP
