Rugby Digest

FRANCE: France captain Fabien Pelous has admitted elbowing Australia's Brendan Cannon last weekend but said it was an instinctive act and has offered his apologies to the Wallaby hooker.

The lock was cited by the International Rugby Board (IRB) commissioner after Saturday's match in Marseille, which France won 26-16.

"I never had the intention of assaulting Cannon and harming him," he said at the French training camp in Marcoussis yesterday. "It was a stupid and purely instinctive gesture.

"I apologise to Cannon for injuring him and also for preventing him from playing for the last 10 minutes."

Pelous will appear in front of a disciplinary committee in London today and could be handed a ban ranging from two weeks to a year.

"I was upset when I saw the video of the incident," Pelous said. "The ball was gone, I was running upfield to put pressure on Australia's kicker when Cannon changed direction and cut my path.

"I flung out my elbow to go through. It was stupid but I did it without premeditation, stupidly and purely instinctively."

The Toulouse secondrow, who is 31 and has 102 caps, also said he hoped the commission would take into account the fact he had a good disciplinary record.

"It has been six years since I was cited for rucking during the 1999 World Cup and in those six years I haven't had a single yellow card in an international match," he said.

France selectors have named Pelous as a replacement for Saturday's Test against Canada. Lionel Nallet will start in his place, with the captain's duties being passed to the other lock, Jerome Thion.

WALES: Wales coach Mike Ruddock has made 11 changes from the side mauled by New Zealand for Friday night's clash against Fiji at the Millennium Stadium.

Gareth Thomas, Mark Taylor, Stephen Jones, Mefin Davies and Colin Charvis were all released for club duty.

Llanelli Scarlets fullback Lee Byrne and Worcester prop Chris Horsman make their full Test debuts after going on as second-half substitutes against the All Blacks.

There are also opportunities for Cardiff Blues hooker Rhys Thomas and his club colleagues Nicky Robinson and John Yapp, while Lions flanker Martyn Williams returns after taking compassionate leave.

Michael Owen will captain the team.

WALES: Lee Byrne; Kevin Morgan, Matthew Watkins, Sonny Parker, Shane Williams; Nicky Robinson, Gareth Cooper; Michael Owen, Martyn Williams, Dafydd Jones; Luke Charteris, Brent Cockbain; Chris Horsman, Rhys Thomas, John Yapp. Replacements: Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Ian Gough, Alix Popham, Robin Sowden-Taylor, Mike Phillips, Ceri Sweeney.