Uncapped Perpignan wing Adrien Planté has been called up to for France's Six Nations squad as a replacement for the injured Gaël Fickou.
27-year-old Planté, who was recognised at international level at youth level, has scored two tries in 13 Top 14 appearances for Perpignan this season and was summoned after Fickou failed to recover from a twisted ankle he suffered during Toulouse's Heineken Cup match with Treviso.
Coach Philippe Saint-André's choice to replace a centre with a wing can be explained by Wesley Fofana's ability to operate in both positions.
Planté, who has been at Perpignan since 2006 and won the French title in 2009, will join up with the 32 other members of the squad on Saturday and will undergo a three-day training camp before Saint-André reduces it to 23 for the opening game with Italy in Rome on February 3.
18-year-old Fickou, is expected to miss at least both the Italy clash and the second game against Wales at the Stade de France on February 9.
France squad:
Forwards: Vincent Debaty (Clermont), Thomas Domingo (Clermont), Yannick Forestier (Castres), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont), Guilhem Guirado (Perpignan), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing-Metro), David Attoub (Stade Francais), Luc Ducalcon (Racing-Metro), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Pascal Pape (Stade Francais, capt), Jocelino Suta (Toulon), Romain Taofifenua (Perpignan), Damien Chouly (Clermont), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse), Wenceslas Lauret (Biarritz), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse)
Backs: Maxime Machenaud (Racing-Metro), Morgan Parra (Clermont), Frederic Michalak (Toulon), Francois Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Jean-Marcellin Buttin (Clermont), Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), Brice Dulin (Castres), Benjamin Fall (Racing-Metro), Adrien Planté (Perpignan), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Florian Fritz (Toulouse), Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon)
Comments
Kiwirooster says...
I remember Planté as a winger (he was in Lièvremont's plan at some point) but I have never seen him play at centre.
Quite frankly, I will not be expecting much from Saint-André's team if he keeps moving his best players out of position.
Fofana a World-class center playing on the wing, Planté a winger playing at centre. Now that Dulin might be out of the tournament on injury, who will replace him: François Trinh-Duc?
I think PSA can do better than this. If he keeps Fofana at centre, move Planté to the wing, that would make more sense, but quite frankly I would rather see O'Connor on the left wing, he is just too good to be ignored. Planté still is a very good winger but why do I feel he is coming into international rugby a little bit too late... Okay he has a very athletic build just like O'Connor but at 28 yo against 22 yo it seems like a very short-term plan and a waste of experience for the younger lad.
Wingers are not props or second rows, Planté will be 30 years of age when comes RWC 2015, it is unseen at this level.
So please PSA, if you happen to read this: don't waste your time. Bring on O'Connor, he is more than ready for the big stage. In that team, he will create havoc in the opposition. You can tell he has some of his father's rugby league genes and even though I am not a rugby league fan, it rarely looked so exciting. Just bring him on. We need flair in as many positions as possible.
Posted 15:00 25th January 2013
pierredelot1 says...
Come on Armchair, you know the French, nice day, bit of sun, have a go win by miles. Tomorrow, can't be bothered, bit of rain, up against it, referee bit against us, lose by miles. Its not just Internationals either. Sometimes in the top 14 you wonder who you have turned up to watch. The players are meant to be professional but so many of them just don't care enough about winning. There have been wonderful exceptions and Dussauttoir is certainly one of them but the rest you have to judge on the day. Ah well Toulouse v Biarritz Friday, question being which Biarritz side will turn up and will they just go through the motions. TD playing to return to fitness so the leadership should be there.
Posted 17:51 23rd January 2013
Danatthecorner says...
@lacroix He's completely different to both. Good out and out winger, better defensively than Huget without a shadow of a doubt.
Posted 12:34 23rd January 2013
lacroix says...
he's got great potential but not in fickou class, let alone fofana.
Posted 07:56 23rd January 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
I am blown away by this squad. How do they lose any games?
Posted 21:50 22nd January 2013
paddy91317 says...
Is he any good?
Posted 21:19 22nd January 2013