Lievremont axes old team-mate Marconnet

Rugby:France coach Marc Lievremont has confirmed his 30-man squad for the upcoming Rugby World Cup, with 35-year-old prop Sylvain Marconnet missing out on a swansong in New Zealand.

Fellow prop Thomas Domingo also misses out, with Fabien Barcella making the party despite a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering an Achilles injury last year. The Biarritz player came on at half-time in yesterday’s victory over Ireland at Aviva stadium, replacing Jean Baptiste-Poux.

Marconnet has 84 caps but missed the last World Cup on home turf after a skiing accident.

“Sylvain is the last player I played with at club level and also in the France team, it’s been a difficult choice,” Lievremont told reporters.

“Sylvain asked me not to announce it to the group in his presence. I have always said the best two props in France were Thomas and Fabien. I said I hoped to keep one and that is the decision I have made. I have also been surprised by the progress of Jean-Baptiste Poux and Luc Ducalcon.”

Guilhem Guirado, only drafted into the squad as cover for injured hooker William Servat, keeps his place along with Servat.

Centre Maxime Mermoz suffered a knee problem in the first warm-up win against Ireland but will be fit for the tournament.

France, beaten finalists in 1987 and 1999, have been drawn in Group A for this year’s World Cup in New Zealand alongside the hosts, Tonga, Canada and Japan. France’s opening match is against Japan in Auckland on September 10th.

France World Cup squad:
Backs:V Clerc (Toulouse), F Estebanez (Brive), C Heymans (Toulouse), D Marty (Perpignan), M Medard (Toulouse), M Mermoz (Perpignan), A Palisson (Brive), M Parra (Clermont Auvergne), A Rougerie (Clermont Auvergne), D Skrela (Toulouse), D Traille (Biarritz), F Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), D Yachvili (Biarritz).

Forwards:F Barcella (Biarritz), J Bonnaire (Clermont Auvergne), L Ducalcon (Castres), T Dusautoir (Toulouse, capt), G Guirado (Perpignan) I Harinordoquy (Biarritz), R Lakafia (Biarritz), N Mas (Perpignan), R Millo-Chluski (Toulouse), L Nallet (Racing Metro), F Ouedraogo (Montpellier), P Pape (Stade Francais), L Picamoles (Toulouse), J Pierre (Clermont Auvergne), J-B Poux (Toulouse), W Servat (Toulouse), D Szarzewski (Stade Francais).