SCRUMHALF JULIEN Dupuy and outhalf Lionel Beauxis will start for France for the first time since 2009 in the Six Nations clash with England at the Stade de France on Sunday.
The pair replace Morgan Parra and Francois Trinh-Duc who drop to the bench in the only changes from the side that drew 17-17 with Ireland last Sunday, a result that ended France’s grand slam hopes.
“We try to find the solutions to have a proper start, manager Philippe Saint-Andre said yesterday. “Against the Italians we missed a lot of passes because we were nervous. Against the Scots we missed a lot of tackles and (against Ireland) we made a tactical mistake on a lineout that cost us a try,” he said.
“We want another strategy to face England. We want deeper kicks. The English are very powerful. They are definitely the best defensive team in the Six Nations, the one that occupy the field the best.”
Dupuy (28) came off the bench to feature in the 23-17 win over Scotland on February 26th but has not started an international since playing against New Zealand in 2009. Beauxis is promoted from the bench and also starts for the first time since 2009.
Saint-Andre kept faith with centres Aurelien Rougerie and Wesley Fofana, despite speculation they could also be demoted. “England have a very powerful centre with Manu Tuilagi but the Clermont pair twice played Leicester and fairly controlled him,” he said.
“English always attack in the middle so you have to find the balance between speed and force.
“We don’t want to hamper Wesley’s improvement. Though he has to make a lot of progress and needs someone to guide him, he has speed and briskness.”
FRANCE(v England, Stade de France, Sunday: C Poitrenaud, V Clerc, A Rougerie, W Fofana, J Malzieu, L Beauxis, J Dupuy; J-B Poux, D Szarzewski, N Mas, P Pape, Y Maestri, T Dusautoir (capt), J Bonnaire, I Harinordoquy. Replacements: W Servat, V Debaty, L Nallet, L Picamoles, M Parra, F Trinh-Duc, M Mermoz.
