France forced to call up Trinh-Duc

Editor

France have been dealt another injury blow with the news that fly-half Rémi Talès has been ruled out of their opener against England.

France have been dealt yet another injury blow with the news that fly-half Rémi Talès has been ruled out of the opening match against England next weekend.

Castres playermaker Talès has not recovered from a biceps injury suffered against Leinster in the Heineken Cup a fortnight ago.

As result, coach Philippe Saint-André has recalled Montpellier fly-half François Trinh-Duc, who was not part of the initial 30-man training squad named a three weeks ago.

Tal̬s started France's last five Tests in the number ten jersey and Saint-Andr̩ must now choose between Trinh-Duc Рwho has been out of the squad for a year Рuncapped Stade Fran̤ais pivot Jules Plisson and Toulouse scrum-half Jean-Marc Doussain.

In further bad news for les Bleus, Clermont full-back Jean-Marcellin Buttin has also been ruled out after suffering an injury in Saturday's defeat to Bayonne.

Buttin was not part of the 23-man group that was withheld from Top 14 competition this weekend and his place in the 30-man squad that will regroup on Sunday has been taken by Racing-Métro wing Marc Andreu.

“Francois Trinh-Duc comes back for us. That is it goes in the French team -injuries and replacements,” said Saint-André, whose side host at the Stade de France on Saturday.

” Rémi will go and recover and we hope to see him back on the pitch very soon.”

France squad:

Forwards: Thomas Domingo (Clermont), Yannick Forestier (Castres), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing-Métro), Nicolas Mas (Montpellier), Rabah Slimani (Stade Français), Alexandre Flanquart (Stade Français), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Pascal Papé (Stade Français), Sébastien Vahaamahina (Perpignan), Virgile Bruni, (Toulon), Bernard Le Roux (Racing-Métro), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Damien Chouly (Clermont), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse).

Backs: Jean-Marc Doussain (Toulouse), Maxime Machenaud (Racing-Métro), Jules Plisson (Stade Français), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Gaël Fickou (Toulouse), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon), Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Maxime Médard (Toulouse), Geoffrey Palis (Castres), Hugo Bonneval (Stade Français), Brice Dulin (Castres), François Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Marc Andreu (Racing-Métro).