Marc Lièvremont announces French squad for 2011 Rugby World Cup opener against Japan
France’s national rugby Union team, commonly known as the Les Bleus, has announced their match day squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) opener against Japan. Les Bleus head coach, Marc Lièvremont, has listed his match-22 on Monday, September 5.
France will take on Japan at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday, September 10.
Lièvremont has made 10 changes in the starting line, which took to the field in France’s last international match against Ireland at Lansdowne Road on August 20. The changes includes six changes in the forwards’ pack while the remaining in the backs line.
The surprise of the all the changes is the naming of the scrum half Dimitri Yachvili in the starting xv, in place of the Morgan Parra. Commenting on the move, Lievremont said, “He (Yachvili )is in fine form and full of confidence.”
Parra has been the regular member of the French starting xv for the past two seasons and has been preferred over the likes of Yachvili.
In other changes, Maxime Medrad has been moved from the right-winger to the left-winger position in place of the Alexis Palisson. Palisson is dropped from the match day squad making way for Vincent Clerc at the other winger position.
Francois Trinh-Duc will start the match at the fly half position in place of David Skrela, who will start the match from the bench. Trinh-Duc will form the halfback pair with the Yachvili, while Parra will start the match from the bench.
Besides the duo of prop Nicolas Mas and Lionel Nallet, Lièvremont has completed revamped the forwards line. In the front row forwards, Fabien Barcella and William Servat have replaced Jean-Baptiste Poux and Dimitri Szarzewski at the prop and hooker positions
respectively.
Jean-Baptiste Poux and Dimitri Szarzewski will start the match from the bench.
In the second row forwards, Pascal Pape has been moved to the bench, making way for Les Bleus experienced lock, Julien Pierre to start the match in the starting xv. Pierre will form the locks pair with Nallet.
The trio of Thierry Dusautoir, Imanol Harinordoquy, and Raphael Lakafia form the new back row forwards lineup. The trio has replaced Fulgence Ouedraogo, Julien Bonnaire and Louis Picamoles at the flanks and at the number eight positions respectively.
Julien Bonnaire will start the match from the bench while the duo of Fulgence Ouedraogo and Louis Picamoles has been dropped from the match day 22.
Lièvremont match day 22 for their Saturday encounter against the Japan consist of,
Starting XV: Cedric Heymans, Vincent Clerc, Aurelien Rougerie, Fabrice Estebanez, Maxime Medrad, Francois Trinh-Duc, Dimitri Yachvili; Fabien Barcella, William Servat, Nicolas Mas, Julien Pierre, Lionel Nallet, Thierry Dusautoir, Imanol
Harinordoquy, Raphael Lakafia.
Replacements: Jean-Baptiste Poux, Dimitri Szarzewski, Pascal Pape, Julien Bonnaire, Morgan Parra, David Skrela, David Marty.
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