Heymans benched for Cardiff decider
France have recalled scrum-half Jean-Baptiste Elissalde but named utility back Cédric Heymans on the bench for Saturday's Six Nations title decider against Wales in Cardiff.
France have recalled scrum-half Jean-Baptiste Elissalde but named utility back Cédric Heymans on the bench for Saturday's Six Nations title decider against Wales in Cardiff.
Elissalde wins the battle for the number nine jersey over Dimitri Yachvili, who impressed in Sunday's 25-13 win over Italy.
Toulouse star Heymans was expected to return to the XV after being rested for the Italy game, but he cannot oust Anthony Floch at full-back and must settle for a place among the replacements.
Elsewhere in the backs, David Skrela gets the nod over François Trinh-Duc at fly-half, while there are returns for in-form winger Vincent Clerc and centre Damien Traille.
Head coach Marc Lièvremont keeps the same front five that started against Italy, but there are two changes in the back row.
Julien Bonnaire is promoted from the bench and is selected at number eight, while flanker Thierry Dusautoir also returns.
Montpellier youngster Fulgence Ouedraogo was expected to drop to the bench but he is retained, meaning Elvis Vermeulen – recalled to the squad after being sidelined with broken ribs since the opening-round victory against Scotland – is named as a replacement.
Clermont number eight Vermeulen scored the last-gasp try that sealed the title for France, on points difference over Ireland, in the final game of last season's Six Nations.
Les Bleus need to beat the Welsh by at least 20 points this weekend to retain the title they have won for the past two years.
They have beaten Scotland, Ireland and Italy so far this tournament, with their only defeat coming at home to England.
Lièvremont admitted the selections for the full-back and scrum-half positions had been the most difficult.
“They are at a very close level at the moment,” said Lièvremont, on the decision to pick Elissalde over Yachvili.
“Perhaps Jean-Baptiste's management of the game and his ability to lead his forwards gave him the advantage.”
On the retention of Floch, who made his first Test start at the weekend, at the expense of Heymans, Lièvremont added he wanted to see the full-back in action again.
“Anthony had a very good game against Italy and I want to see him again,” said Lièvremont.
“Heymans still has a big part to play.”
Lièvremont said Ouedraogo was keeping Vermeulen on the bench because of his “great work offensively and defensively since the start of the tournament”.
“We will use the power of Elvis Vermeulen later in the match,” added the France coach.
Lièvremont admitted France would need to get the basics right before they could even contemplate beating Wales, unbeaten so far in this Six Nations, by the necessary margin to retain the title.
“First we need to match the Welsh and we need to play our own rugby,” he said.
“There is a big points gap and to deprive them of the Grand Slam and win by 20 points will be difficult.”
France: 15 Anthony Floch (Clermont), 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Yannick Jauzion (both Toulouse), 12 Damien Traille (Biarritz), 11 Julien Malzieu (Clermont), 10 David Skrela (Stade Français) , 9 Jean-Baptiste Elissalde(Toulouse) , 8 Julien Bonnaire (Clermont), 7 Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), 6 Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse) , 5 Jérôme Thion (Biarritz), 4 Lionel Nallet (Castres, captain), 3 Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), 2 Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Français), 1 Fabien Barcella (Auch).
Replacements: 16 William Servat (both Toulouse), 17 Jean-Baptiste Poux (Albi), 18 Arnaud Méla, 19 Elvis Vermeulen (both Clermont), 20 Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz), 21 François Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), 22 Cédric Heymans (Toulouse).
Date: Saturday, 15 March
Venue: Millennium Stadium
Kick-off: 17:00 GMT
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Touch judges: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Federico Cuesta (Argentina)
Television match official: Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Assessor: Paul Bridgman (England)