FRANCE HEAD COACH Philippe Saint-André has recalled No. 8 Louis Picamoles to his 30-man squad ahead of the decisive Six Nations clash with Ireland in Paris on Saturday.
The Toulouse back row was omitted from last weekend’s victory over Scotland as punishment for a lack of discipline in the round three defeat to Wales. Picamoles sarcastically applauded referee Alain Rolland following a yellow card in that game in Cardiff, an action which Saint-André felt was unacceptable.
Racing Métro hooker Dimitri Swarzewski also returns to the extended group, having missed the Scotland fixture with an ankle injury.
However, there is no room for scrum-half Morgan Parra despite his availability following the completion of a two-week suspension for head butting Montpellier’s Rene Ranger while playing a Top 14 clash with club side Clermont.
Nor is there space for the talented François Trinh-Duc in the selection, with Saint-André remaining loyal to Jules Plisson and Rémi Talès as his out-half options. The players to make way for Picamoles and Swarzewski are Castres pair Antonie Claassen and Yannick Forestier.
France: Vincent Debaty, Thomas Domingo, Guilhem Guirado, Brice Mach, Dimitri Szarzewski, Nicolas Mas, Rabah Slimani, Alexandre Flanquart, Yoann Maestri, Pascal Papé, Sébastien Vahaamahina, Virgil Bruni, Alexandre Lapandry, Wenceslas Lauret, Bernard Le Roux, Damien Chouly, Louis Picamoles, Jean-Marc Doussain, Maxime Machenaud, Jules Plisson, Rémi Talès, Mathieu Bastareaud, Gaël Fickou, Rémi Lamerat, Maxime Mermoz, Yoann Huget, Marc Andreu, Maxime Médard, Hugo Bonneval, Brice Dulin.