English players survive exertions

Rugby:England coach Brian Ashton's ploy to pressurise the Premiership clubs into resting their England stars ahead of next Saturday's Six Nations meeting with Ireland in Croke Park met with only partial success over the weekend but he escaped without further injury problems.

At Adams Park yesterday Wasps left out England skipper Phil Vickery, included Josh Lewsey on the right wing for the entire match and did not introduce flanker Joe Worsley, who was recalled by Ashton after missing the win over Italy with a neck injury and sat on the bench for the entire 80 minutes yesterday.

Sale started with England's Jason Robinson at fullback - and he certainly did not hold back - and flanker Magnus Lund, both playing the full match.

France hooker and skipper Raphael Ibanez, also named on the bench, played for the final 25 minutes. But there was a problem for France ahead of their clash with Wales in Paris when their number eight Sebastien Chabal, brought on by Sale in the 63rd minute, limped off only eight minutes later with a calf injury.

Chabal duly failed to make the French squad announced by Bernard Laporte, which showed five changes from the victory over Ireland. Team manager Jo Maso said the changes came under the rotation policy aimed at testing as many players as possible before the World Cup.

"We named that squad to keep going on a positive path after our two wins over Italy and Ireland," he added.

"We are approaching Saturday's match with all due respect for our visitors, who, we must not forget, defeated us two years ago at the Stade de France."

Toulouse lock Gregory Lamboley, who has won 12 caps, takes over from Pascal Pape of Castres.

Laporte has also recalled number eight Elvis Vermeulen, who started the three November tests against New Zealand and Argentina in place of Chabal.

FRANCE (squad v Wales):Forwards : Raphael Ibanez, Benoit August, Olivier Milloud, Nicolas Mas, Sylvain Marconnet, Lionel Nallet, Gregory Lamboley, Jerome Thion, Serge Betsen, Julien Bonnaire, Imanol Harinordoquy, Elvis Vermeulen. Backs : Pierre Mignoni, Dimitri Yachvili, David Skrela, Lionel Beauxis, Yannick Jauzion, David Marty, Christophe Dominici, Vincent Clerc, Aurelien Rougerie, Clement Poitrenaud.