'Triple threat' Donaldson leads Force to massive win over Drua to keep Super Rugby finals hopes alive
The Western Force have reinstated HBF Park as an imposing venue for visiting sides, running in six tries on the way to a 48-10…
France coach Marc Lievremont has made wholesale changes to his team for this weekend’s second Test against Australia after their 34-13 loss in Sydney on Saturday.
Lievremont responded to last week’s heavy defeat at the Olympic Stadium by making seven changes to his starting side as well as reshuffling his bench.
Outside centre Maxime Mermoz and loosehead prop Pierre Correia were both selected for their first test appearances after failing to make the 22-man squad last week.
Another five players — inside centre Thibault Lacroix, wing David Janin, scrumhalf Sebastian Tillous-Borde, flanker Matthieu Lievremont and prop Renaud Boyoud — were promoted to the starting side after making their test debuts off the bench last week.
Five of last week’s starting fifteen have been relegated to the reserves while Lievremont added two new caps to his bench, flanker Yannick Caballero and wing Jean-Baptiste Peyras.
Lievremont was forced to pick a weakened squad for the two-match tour as most of the country’s top players were involved in national club championship playoffs and unavailable for the international side. He said he wanted to give all the new players a chance to shine.
Team:
Benjamin Thiery, Alexis Palisson, Maxim Mermoz, Thibault Lacroix, David Janin, Francois Trinh-Duc, Sebastian Tillous-Borde, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Imanol Harinordoquy, Matthieu Lievremont, Lionel Nallet, Sebastien Chabal, Renaud Boyoud, Sebastien Bruno, Pierre Correia. Res: Benjamin Kayser, Benoit Lecouls, David Couzinet, Louis Picamoles, Yannick Caballero, Dimitri Yachvili, Jean-Baptiste Peyras.
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The Western Force have reinstated HBF Park as an imposing venue for visiting sides, running in six tries on the way to a 48-10…
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