Eight newcomers in France rugby squad for New Zealand

14th May, 2013

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14th May, 2013

1372 Reads

France coach Philippe Saint-Andre on Tuesday called up eight uncapped players for his 35-man squad to tour New Zealand next month.

Les Bleus, who won just one game to finish last in the Six Nations, take on the All Blacks on June 8, 15 and 22, with another game against the Auckland Blues scheduled for June 11.

The newcomers are Eddy Ben Arous, Alexandre Flanquart, Camille Lopez, Remi Tales, Adrien Plante, Daniel Koetze, Bernard Le Roux and Noa Nakaitaci.

The main absentee is Montpellier scrum-half Francois Trinh-Duc, who is being rested with Remi Tales (Castres) chosen instead.

Toulouse flanker Thierry Dusatoir will captain the side in the absence of Pascal Pape, the Stade Francais lock who has been sidelined since injuring his back in France’s opening Six Nations defeat to Italy in February.

There is a strong Six Nations presence in Saint-Andre’s list, with regulars such as Dimitri Szarzewski, Nicolas Mas, Yoann Maestri, Louis Picamoles, Morgan Parra and Toulon half-back Frederic Michalak.

France squad
Forwards: Eddy Ben Arous (Racing-Mtro), Vincent Debaty (Clermont), Thomas Domingo (Clermont), Guilhem Guirado (Perpignan), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing-Mtro), Luc Ducalcon (Clermont), Daniel Kotze (Clermont), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Alexandre Flanquart (Stade Franais), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Christophe Samson (Castres), Sbastien Vahaamahina (Perpignan), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse, cap.), Bernard Le Roux (Racing-Mtro), Antonie Claassen (Castres), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse)

Backs: Maxime Machenaud (Racing-Mtro), Morgan Parra (Clermont), Frdric Michalak (Toulon), Camille Lopez (Bordeaux-Bgles), Rmi Tals (Castres), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Gael Fickou (Toulouse), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Florian Fritz (Toulouse), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon), Maxime Mdard (Toulouse), Noa Nakaitaci (Clermont), Alexis Palisson (Toulon), Adrien Plant (Perpignan), Brice Dulin (Castres), Yoann Huget (Touloluse)

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