Thoroughbreds add extra pace

Rested, refreshed and recuperated, if a little rusty, Brian O'Driscoll and Denis Hickie were duly recalled yesterday to sharpen Ireland's cutting edge for Saturday's eagerly awaited Six Nations contest with France. With 17 tries between them from 32 Test appearances, this pair would sharpen a razor blade.

Although a little out of the Irish loop and lacking match practice (Hickie has not played in five weeks, O'Driscoll in three) this is more than tempered by what these thoroughbreds bring to the Irish equation, primarily their sheer pace.

By comparison France seem almost to have weakened their hand, and voluntarily at that. Their influential and industrious scrumhalf, Fabien Galthie, whose recall during the last World Cup coincided with France's upturn in fortunes, has been axed from the 22-man squad after incurring a second yellow this season for Colomiers, and before Galthie's proposed appeal of the ensuing 10-day suspension today.

Bernard Lapasset, the French Rugby Federation president, announced the decision after discussions with team coach Bernard Laporte on Monday, claiming: "We want to set an example out of respect for the other teams in the Six Nations. I'm sure the decision we have taken today reinforces the role we have in the Six Nations."

No doubt the other competing nations will be suitably impressed, though whether Ireland or the others would be inclined to do likewise must be open to doubt, remembering for example, how the English Union decided to suspend Leicester's Martin Johnson after his citing for foul play by Saracens until, coincidentally of course, the day before England played Wales.

However, it could be a smokescreen, as an appeal would delay Galthie's suspension and thereby rule him out of Colomiers' game against Beziers on Saturday week, so his club are not supportive of the appeal. Galthie's plight is particularly galling in that his first yellow card was last October and the second, against Montferrand last Saturday week, was reputedly unjust as he merely pushed his counterpart Kevin Dalzell after the latter prevented him from taking a quick tap.

Galthie's axeing seems sure to mean a first Test start for Pau's Philippe Carbonneau since April 1999, with Christophe Laussucq of Stade Francais being added to the squad. The French starting line-up is expected to be announced today, pending fitness tests on full back Xavier Garbajosa (thigh strain) and winger David Bory (groin strain).

Shane Horgan and Mike Mullins form a new midfield partnership in the As to play their French counterparts in Ravenhill on Friday night. Mick O'Driscoll steps in for the promoted Gary Longwell and Victor Costello's recall means Tony McWhirter switches to blindside flanker in place of Trevor Brennan who, like John Kelly, is demoted to the bench.

The otherwise unchanged Irish Test side was so predictable even Warren Gatland admitted it was "probably the easiest selection that we've had for a while". Eddie O'Sullivan cited Hickie's genuine world-class pace, and admitted "it's probably impossible to replace that. He brings that dimension and we saw that in the try he set up for Tyrone Howe against South Africa. Brian has the capacity to be a game-breaker and a playmaker, and those two dimensions give a lot of options to your backline."

In contrast to the curtailed and disruptive preparations before the Italian game, Gatland said they were already a lot further ahead this time. "We think the tempo is building nicely and by Thursday and Friday we hope to be right at the peak we want to be. Just having time with the team has been the important thing and to keep working on the aspects of play that we're concentrating on, looking at the way we want to play the game against France and where we want to attack them. There's certain aspects of the setpieces and the forward play we weren't happy with against Italy and that's been a focus for this week."

In any event, it's all a far cry from Gatland's first week in the job before playing France three years ago in Paris.

"It was probably the worst preparation of any side I've been involved with," recalled Gatland yesterday. "On the Friday session we couldn't hold a ball and I felt like digging a hole for myself to get out of it. The skill levels, the fitness and the preparation of players in three years has improved dramatically. I think we've come a long way and it will be a nice test again on Saturday to see what sort of progress we've made, and have we stepped up from last season and have we stepped up from the autumn."

It will be all that and more.

The IRFU yesterday announced their contract with Club Tricot, as official formal clothing supplier, has been renewed for a further three years thereby extending a partnership which began in 1994 for Club Tricot to supply an exclusive collection to the union committee and all Irish representative teams.