FRANCE COACH, PHILIPPE Saint-Andre has made two changea for this Sunday’s rescheduled Six Nations fixture against Ireland.
As expected, Clement Poitrenaud comes in a full back in place of Maxine Medard.
Medard suffered a knee injury after scoring a crucial try in last weekend’s 17-23 win over Scotland in Edinburgh.
The only other change is in the back row where Toulouse number eight Louis Picamoles has been dropped to the bench.
Julien Bonnaire comes in as his replacement, but will ine up on the open side with Imanol Harinordoquy reverting to his favoured position anchoring the scrum.
Saint-Andre told L’Equipe of his selection:
“Julien will bring us a lot of movement. The discussion was whether he or Imanol should play at number 8.”
“We chose Imanol to bring us greater security in the crucial early part of the game.”
Confidence
In a familiar situation to Declan Kidney with Ireland, Saint-Andre has resisted calls to change up the back-line or drop, hooker, Dimitri Szarzewski.
The former Sale and Toulon coach has opted to show confidence in his hooker and hopes it is returned in kind.
“You want it back because he needs more confidence, (against Scotland) he was clinical at the breakdown – but he missed tackles early in the game.”
On the backline, the coach praised the impact of Lionel Beauxis who scored a drop goal in Murrayfield and whose long kicking game can help impose a ‘different stategy.’
“But, continued Saint-Andre, “I want to continue with Morgan and Francis for the game and ball retention. You want to play.”
“We want our line of three-quarters have the more automatic. We try to find ways to be better. I hope that it will pay off. With the willingness to take the Irish to the throat from the first minute.”
Fighting talk.
France (v Ireland): C Poitrenaud; V Clerc, A Rougerie, W Fofana, J Malzieu; F Trinh-Duc, M Parra: JB Poux, D Szarzewski, N Mas; P Pape, Y Maestri; T Dusautoir, J Bonnaire, I Harinordoquy.
Replacements: W Servat, V Debaty, L Nallet, L PIcamoles, J Dupuy, L Beauxis, M Mermoz.