France leave out Médard

Editor

France head coach Philippe Saint-André has left out five players, notably Maxime Médard, from his squad that will face Italy on Sunday.

France head coach Philippe Saint-André has left out five players, notably Maxime Médard, from his squad that will take on Italy in Paris on Sunday.

Médard joins Virgile Bruni, Maxime Mermoz, Marc Andreu and Geoffrey Palis in missing out of the 25-man group that is preparing for Round Two.

Hugo Bonneval seems set to earn a start on the wing for France or Saint-André may move last weekend's try-scoring hero Gaël Fickou to 11.

France squad to face Italy

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, captain), Sebastian Vahaamahina (Perpignan), Bernard Le Roux (Racing-Métro), Ibrahim Diarra (Castres), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Damien Chouly (Clermont), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse).

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