A summary of the main news from the French team announcement from rugby correspondent Andy Howell…
Wenceslas Lauret replaces the injured Bernard Le Roux in the France team for Friday night’s crucial Six Nations clash with Wales at the Millennium Stadium.
Jamie Roberts, Dan Lydiate and Mike Phillips’ Racing Metro team-mate comes into coach Philippe Saint-Andre back-row at flanker.
His Racing team-mate Le Roux was concussed during the 30-10 victory over Italy in Paris and wasn’t considered for selection.
Castres hooker Brice Mach, Clermont Auvergne prop Vincent Debaty and Castres fly-half Rémi Talès replaced the injured Benjamin Kayser, suspended Rabah Slimani and dropped Francois Trinh-Duc on the replacements bench.
Doubts over the fitness of juggernaut centre Mathieu Bastareaud have proved unfounded – he will line up alongside the most dangerous midfield runner in world rugby in Wesley Fofana – with 22-year-old Test rookie Jules Plisson continuing to call the shots at outside-half.
France have shown flashes of individual brilliance as they seek to bounce back from last year’s wooden spoon, snatching a 26-24 victory over England at the start of the month and doing enough to dispatch Italy, both in Paris.
They are second in the Six Nations table, trailing leaders Ireland on points difference, with England and defending champions Wales two points behind.
A French victory would make them, with matches against troubled Scotland (away) and Ireland (home) to come, firm favourites to lift the title.
And it would banish Wales’ hopes of winning a record hat-trick of Six Nations championships in a row.
France: B Dulin (Castres); Y Huget (Toulouse), M Bastareaud (Toulon), W Fofana (Clermont Auvergne), H Bonneval (Stade Francais); J Plisson (Stade Francais), J-M Doussain (Toulouse); T Domingo (Clermont Auvergne), D Szarzewski (Racing Metro), N Mas (Montpellier), P Pape (capt, Stade Francais), Y Maestri (Toulouse), Y Nyanga (Toulouse), L Picamoles (Toulouse), W Lauret (Racing Metro).
Replacements: B Mach (Castres), Y Forestier (Castres), V Debaty (Clermont Auvergne), S Vahaamahina (Perpignan), D Chouly (Clermont Auvergne), M Machenaud (Racing Metro), R Tales (Castres), G Fickou (Toulouse).
Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/26149055
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