France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has responded to consecutive defeats to Italy and Wales in the Six Nations championship by making five changes to the squad to face Grand Slam contenders England at Twickenham.
The Rugby World Cup runners-up lost 16-6 at home to Wales in a shambolic performance on Saturday, following the galling 23-18 loss to Italy in Rome – the first time the French have started a campaign with consecutive defeats since 1982.
“After these defeats, we’ve made five changes because it is necessary to freshen up the squad mentally and physically,” Saint-Andre said on Monday as he prepared for the game on February 23.
“We want to get the team spirit back that we had in November,” he added in reference to wins over Australia and Argentina that secured a top-four ranking for the 2015 World Cup.
Winger Vincent Clerc, who has 34 international tries, is recalled after missing the two recent matches because of a thigh injury.
Prop Thomas Domingo, lock Christophe Samson, backrower Antoine Claassen and flanker Yannick Nyanga are the others to return. Claassen and Samson are uncapped.
“Antonie Claassen is the type of player who can bring us power and movement,” Saint-Andre said.
“He can play at six (flanker) or No.8. We’ve been following him for the past 15 months.”
No.8 Damien Chouly, prop Yannick Forestier, centre Maxime Mermoz, flanker Fulgence Ouedraogo and lock Sebastien Taofifenua are the players to make way, although Ouedraogo’s absence is due to a shoulder injury sustained against Wales.
In contrast to the despondent French, England made a solid start to the campaign, thumping Scotland 38-18 and overcoming Ireland 12-6 in penalty-kick exchange Dublin.
“The English are impressive in terms of power and pragmatism and we want to put into place a veritable commando (operation) to go to Twickenham,” Saint-Andre said.
“We have to be more aggressive in order to be first to the ball in the air, on the ground in the rucks.”
Two defeats mean the French are effectively in wooden-spoon territory as all of the other teams have won and there are matches to follow against Ireland and Scotland.
France squad: Forwards: Vincent Debaty (Clermont), Thomas Domingo (Clermont), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing-Metro), Luc Ducalcon (Racing-Metro), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Christophe Samson (Castres), Jocelino Suta (Toulon), Antonie Claassen (Castres), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse, capt), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse)
Backs: Maxxime Machenaud (Racing-Metro), Morgan Parra (Clermont), Frdric Michalak (Toulon), Franois Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Vincent Clerc (Toulouse) Benjamin Fall (Racing-Metro), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Florian Fritz (Toulouse), Yoann Huget (Toulouse)
Hightackle
Guest
Hes fit enough.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
I'd give it a watch, jez. There was some very big hits in it, and it was a feisty affair. There wasn't a huge amount of kicking given the weather, and it was pouring down in buckets.
GWS
Guest
No. More fun rolling around in fresh dog droppings
Louis
Guest
The backline should be... 9.Parra 10.Trinh Duc 11.Huget 12.Fofana 13.Basteraud 14.Clerc 15.Medard??where is he
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
i quite agree with most of you points Gary (only one i dont agree with is when you say 'French rugby has been slowly going down hill incrementally for some time now'. rwc finalists, good november tour, but also bad games. same old really imo, no better nor worse). my 2 cents about the impact of foreigners on the national squad. I think its a catch 22 situation: playing with the best foreigners is a great opportunity for youngsters, but it also means they have less chances to play at top level, although the domestic season being 10 month-long in france, they do have opportunities to play (26-30 games, plus the HC or euro challenge, + France= 40-50 games/season potentialy for some). The fact that the LNR put in place a 'jiff' policy a few years ago, limiting the number of players 'non jiff' in each top 14 team, i.e not coming from french development centres, means that they realised it had or could have a negative impact on French rugby in general in the coming years. All in all, i still think its beneficial to have 'the best' foreigners among your troops. But rather have 5-10 very good foreigners than 15-20 average ones who really take the spot of a young french guy. quality over quantity any day for me. The sad (bad?) thing is that more and more teams are now recruiting young foreigners, from the P.I for example (hence the new term 'fidjiff' you might have seen), or eastern europe, who will be considered 'jiff' and eligible to play for france in the future. not an easy situation but nothing is easy over there anyway. dont know what to think really.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
From a layman's point of view on the French side. Does having so many foreigners in the super 14 competition make a difference to the composition of the National side. I mean in terms of imports taking the place of young French players that might not get the chance to play at a higher level and therefore weaken the national side. Almost half of some side in the super 14 are imports surely that has a bearing on developing future French players. It might be said that having internationals playing alongside you makes you better and I could concede this point but there is also the point that there must be a lot of young players that don't get the opportunity to play because of the imports. It seems to me that French rugby has been slowly going down hill incrementally for some time now. There doesn't seem to be the depth that there used to be and that could be because young players are not getting the opportunity. This is just a thought and I would welcome comment on this hypothesis.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Cheers, will give it a look tonight. Didn't realise the weather had played its part
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Tbh I enjoyed the game more than France vs Wales. Great defences and both teams did try to play despite the conditions. Wasn't champagne rugby but the intensity was just fantastic and the English forwards great. Cian Healy didn't like that though. Dirty on a few occasions. Lancaster is grooming a tidy group of players.
jeznez
Roar Guru
More about use of ball, love collisions and good defence. That ultimately is my question was it two teams trying to play positive rugby but the defence was strong or did they both just kick the leather off the ball and try not to make mistakes?
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
French rugby is such a crazy world it's hard to make much sense of it. But they can be tough when they put their minds to it.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
I think he is ok Kpm., he was one of the guys like poitrenaud or Medard who was considered 'out of form' by PSA and hence overlooked. He has spent a lot of time on the bench at clermont lately. Dunno why really.
FTR
Guest
It's worth it if you like massive intensity, collisions and great defence. If you're a typical Aussie who enjoys his basketball rugby though, then maybe not!!
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
He is a huge beast but somehow I can't ever remember him looking very thin. Buttin doesn't seem to be on the scene much: is he injured?
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Funny thing about Bastareaud is that even the espn commentator was getting mixed up between him and Ducalcon, the prop...:). you know you're an overweight centre when ppl think you're a prop! Huget is normally a wing and although not perfect I think he is not as bad as what many (french mostly) have been saying. He has legs and did try a few things. But yes, when everyone is back, he won't play FB. Buttin, Dulin or Medard are ahead IMO.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
jeznez one-dimension can be fine if it's the one inhabited by a cannonball.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Ben is it worth watching the England Ireland match? Taped it on Monday morning over here but haven't watched it since I've seen all scores were from penalties.
jeznez
Roar Guru
NOS, I'm with you. Thought Basteraud was completely one dimensional and was surprised by how much weight he was carrying. Clearly looked to have been carrying more pudding than the front rowers. If he got fit and found some subtlety then he could be good but only looked good compared to some ordinary play around him. Apart from Michalak having such a shocker what was with the fullback, is it Huget? Butchering two tries in one passage of play by not passing the ball to his unmarked wingers twice? A fair bit of work for France to do, largely in the forwards to lift the speed of their re-cycle. Certainly they are capable of it but England must be deserved favourites.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
nos I don't think Bastareaud has been used that well: naturally he's very skilled and maybe should be turned into a Nonu-style player or at least a Tuilagi-style battering ram. France's selection is as usual chaos but if they can just keep choosing Bastareaud and Fofana they will at least be dangerous.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
In a way yes kpm. For me he was the best back (with huget) but its mostly because others were very poor. The issue I have with Bastareaud is that he is a one dimensional type of player: runs straight at you and smashes you. No side step, footwork, kicking game etc. I rate Fritz, especially in defence and would like to see him with Fofana at 12 but again won't mind Basta at 13.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
nos Bastareaud did better than ok didn't he?