Rugby Shorts

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Pelous on bench

France coach Bernard Laporte named his captain Fabien Pelous on the replacements bench for Saturday's Test against Canada pending an IRB disciplinary hearing.

Pelous has been cited for elbowing hooker Brendan Cannon during France's 26-16 win over Australia on Saturday in Marseille.

The hearing will take place on Wednesday in London. Elbowing can carry a suspension from two weeks to a year.

"I am not going to defend Fabien but I just hope he will get a fair hearing," Laporte said.

The selectors made six other changes to the starting line-up in Marseille.

FRANCE: Castaignede; Rougerie, Marty, Jauzion, Heymans; Michalak, Yachvili; de Villiers, Bruno, Marconnet; Thion (capt), Nallet; Lievremont, Martin, Bonnaire, Replacements: Ibanez, Milloud, Pelous or Lamboley, Nyanga, Mignoni, Delaigue, Laharrague.

Henson says sorry

Wales centre Gavin Henson yesterday issued an unreserved apology to team-mates offended by comments in his biography.

Henson, who met with his international colleagues on Sunday to discuss the book, says offending fellow members of this year's Grand Slam-winning side was the last thing he had wanted to do.

"The rest of the squad asked me to meet with them on Sunday and I was really happy to do so," Henson said.

"I said in the meeting that I would like to apologise to anyone who was offended by anything that was written and I would like to go on record publicly saying that too."

Wales captain Gareth Thomas, who arranged the meeting with Henson, said he felt the conversation had cleared the air.

Gregan gets vote

Wallaby captain George Gregan received a vote of confidence from the Australian management yesterday after his team slumped to a sixth consecutive defeat in Marseille at the weekend.

Gregan (32) has been under increasing pressure from the Australian media, but assistant coach Alan Gaffney said he had the wholehearted support of his squad.

"George will make the decision, I'm sure. I don't think that it will have to be made for him. He will know when it's time (to retire)."

Hope for Ireland

Gareth Thomas has warned Ireland it will take one of the great performances to derail New Zealand's march to a Grand Slam - but insists it can be done.

"No team is invincible. They are an absolutely superb team and are probably playing the best rugby in the world at the moment - but I am sure Ireland, England and Scotland, when they put on their national jerseys, believe that they can win," said the Wales captain.

"It is going to take a mighty team to defeat them but I believe any team is beatable."