New France coach Phillippe Saint-André has named the 23 man French squad to face Italy next weekend in Paris. Led by IRB Player of the Year Thierry Dusautoir, the squad includes exciting talent Wesley Fofana in the backs, whilst Stade Français prop David Attoub is a surprise inclusion in the front row. Attoub served a 70 week ban for gouging Stephen Ferris two years ago. There are no places for star names including Clément Poitrenaud, Florence Ouédraogo or the in-form Julien Pierre.
Forwards:
David ATTOUB – Stade Français Paris, Vincent DEBATY – AS Clermont Auvergne, Nicolas MAS – USA Perpignan Roussillon, Jean-Baptiste POUX – Stade Toulousain, William SERVAT – Stade Toulousain, Dimitri SZARZEWSKI – Stade Français Paris, Yoann MAESTRI – Stade Toulousain, Lionel NALLET – Racing Metro 92, Pascal PAPE – Stade Français Paris, Julien BONNAIRE – As Clermont Auvergne, Thierry DUSAUTOIR – Stade Toulousain (Capitaine), Imanol HARINORDOQUY – Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque, Louis PICAMOLES – Stade Toulousain
Backs:
Morgan PARRA – AS Clermont Auvergne, Dimitri YACHVILI – Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque, Lionel BEAUXIS – Stade Toulousain, François TRINH-DUC – Montpellier Hérault RC, Vincent CLERC – Stade Toulousain, Wesley FOFANA – AS Clermont Auvergne, Julien MALZIEU- AS Clermont Auvergne, Maxime MEDARD – Stade Toulousain, Maxime MERMOZ – USA Perpignan Roussillon, Aurélien ROUGERIE – AS Clermont Auvergne
Brilliant squad. Plenty of youth and experience. I’d go for a XV of:
Poux, Servat, Mas, Maestri, Nallet, Harinordoquy, Dusautoir, Picamoles, Parra, Beauxis, Malzieu, Fofana, Rougerie, Clerc, Médard.
Scary quality in that squad. A back row of Harinoroquoy, Dusautoir and Picamoles would be amazing, although it would hardly be weakened by picking Bonnaire
Agree with your team, although I’d probabnly go for Trinh-Duc at fly hlaf
Picamoles been playing awesome for Toulouse. But the world cup combo had such balance. whatever they do they have to be favourites.
How do I join a rugby team? I spend a lot of time doing what this guy is doing: Lying on my side in the grass, caressing a ball, wearing cute little shorts and knee-socks. It looks marvelous!