Advertisement
INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Ch-Ch-Changes

New faces for France as Lievremont prepares to name WC squad

Marc Lievremont has made 13 changes to the France side for Saturday’s return match against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium.

FRANCE COACH MARC Lievremont has made 13 changes to his team for the second Rugby World Cup warm-up clash with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

Clermont centre Aurelien Rougerie comes back in for the first time since fracturing his ankle in the semi-finals of the Top 14 last May.

The 30-year-old has been capped 63 times by his country.

Rougerie takes his place alongside Fabrice Estebanez, while Maxime Medard and Alexis Palisson will play on the wings.

Damien Traille is replaced by Cedric Heymans at fullback, while the team will be captained by Racing Metro lock Lionel Nallet.

The French will be hoping to complete a quickfire double over Declan Kidney’s men, having recorded a 19-12 victory in Paris on Saturday. Lievremont names his 30-man squad for the World Cup on Sunday.

France team to play Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, Saturday at 4pm:

Cedric Heymans; Maxime Medard, Aurelien Rougerie, Fabrice Estebanez, Alexis Palisson; David Skrela, Morgan Parra; Julien Bonnaire, Louis Picamoles, Fulgence Ouedraogo; Lionel Nallet (capt), Pascal Pape; Nicolas Mas, Dimitri Szarzewski, Jean-Baptiste Poux.

Replacements: Guilhem Guirado, Fabien Barcella, Julien Pierre, Raphael Lakafia, Dimitri Yachvili, Francois Trinh-Duc, Vincent Clerc, Luc Ducalcon.

READ – American sprinter tests positive for banned substance >