New-look French side try to restore pride

Pierre Villepreux yesterday put his faith in a new-look French team to restore the reigning Five Nations champions' battered image. Coaches Villepreux and Jean-Claude Skrela have predictably dismantled the side humiliated 52-10 by South Africa last November for Saturday's Championship opener against England at Stade de France, making eight changes.

"We need players who will put themselves on the line," said Villepreux, cutting no ice as to why he felt such a radical shake-up was necessary.

"After South Africa there was an obligation to look at all our available resources, and also casting the net wider in terms of which individuals would be possible World Cup material next year."

Stade Francais wing Christophe Dominici is the solitary new cap, although Perpignan number eight Thomas Lievremont starts his first Test after going on as a replacement against Wales two seasons ago.

More significantly, though, France have recalled Philippe Carbonneau from the international wilderness and paired him at half-back with gifted Castres play-maker Thomas Castaignede.

Brive skipper Carbonneau has missed the last five internationals - all three Latin Cup games and both South Africa matches - but edges out rival Fabien Galthie through what French manager Jo Maso termed "more resolute defensive qualities".

Carbonneau's exile resulted from the brutal Brive v Pontypridd Heineken Cup encounter in October, an alleged post-match bar room brawl and damaging headlines across Europe that left him with a tarnished image.

"Philippe's club performances over recent weeks greatly impressed us," said Villepreux. "It is essential our defence holds firm against a team of England's quality and he is very strong in that area."

Castaignede, having been declared fit following a lengthy injury lay-off, was always going to make France's starting line-up, the only debate was in which position.

Villepreux began this week considering Castaignede and Stephane Glas as the midfield combination, with Pau's David Aucagne as fly-half and 1997 grand slam hero Christophe Lamaison omitted.

"We carefully considered the options offered by Thomas before deciding he should play number 10," said Villepreux.

"Christophe Lamaison is, after all, our best goal-kicker and it could happen that he could be an influential figure on Saturday.

"But that is not to say we won't move things around during the game - rugby is such these days that players need to be interchangeable."

Other players returning to the Test match arena are Pau wing Philippe Bernat-Salles and Brive flanker Olivier Magne, while new Captain Raphael Ibanez and Toulouse Lock Fabien Pelous were replacements against South Africa.

Discarded totally from the wreckage left by the Springboks are David Venditti, Thierry Lacroix, Olivier Merle and Laurent Cabannes, joining injured past captains Philippe Saint-Andre and Abdel Benazzi.

"Those people who've been dropped, including the ones currently playing in England such as Lacroix and Cabannes, are not excluded indefinitely. What we are doing against England is trying a team I think is capable of expressing its freedom," said Villepreux.