A Snapshot of the French Rugby Scene

Australian Wallabies Spring Tour 2005

Bernard Laporte must be wondering who is going to be left standing when the Wallabies arrive in town with the present run of horrendous injuries and suspensions in French rugby.

Benoit Baby's long-term absence has already been highlighted and then came news on the mercurial French No. 10 Frédéric Michalak. Although Michalak fast recovery has now highlighted a troublesome shoulder which kept him out of action last weekend, but he has been included in the squad along with recalled 31 year old Saracen’s fly half Thomas Castaignède.

Flanker Serge Betsen was the next to go, after having his cheekbone smashed during Biarritz's 26-20 defeat in Toulouse. Hooker William Servat then registered his absence, after the hooker was told he would need major surgery on a nasty hernia.

Big Bourgoin No.8 forward Julien Bonnaire’s stupidity against French club rival’s Agen has seen him suspended for most, if not all, of the November international series, while Clermont lock Thibault Privat also withdrew from consideration with injury.

And on the first weekend of the Heineken Cup, Laporte saw still more of his possible Test squad sidelined and more problems’s for Bourgoin as lock Pascal Papé withdrew before a ball had even been kicked with a persistent lumbago problem.

Then first choice French international Prop Sylvain Marconnet broke a rib during Stade Français' defeat in Swansea. Biarritz's international No.8 Imanol Hrinordoquy and rising star flanker Thierry Dusautoir both sustained ankle injuries and are doubtful for the Australia clash – in particular Dusautoir - and then centre Damien Traille broke his wrist scoring Biarritz's try. He was operated on first thing Monday in Biarritz, and is likely to be out for two or three months.

French coach Laporte has announced a depleted squad for November’s Test Series including a clash with the Wallabies and the Springbok’s.

As always with the depth of Rugby in France, Les Bleu will still be difficult to bring down. A class player and Toulouse half Jean-Baptiste Elissalde will more than likely lead the side despite the recall of one of France’s previous captains Fabien Pelous.

Although the injury worry of first choice outside half Michalak and the depletion in back line, there is still talent to burn with the inclusion of speedster Heymans, one the best centres the world has seen in Jauzion and his club colleague Fritz.

This makes the Toulouse backline minus fullback Clément Poitrenaud and winger Vincent Clerc prominent in Laporte’s squad. The former has been included in star studded backline of the French Barbarians team captained by recently retired All Black international Justin Marshall that is set to play Australia ‘A’ on Tuesday.

French squad - Julien Laharrague, Aurélien Rougerie, Cédric Heymans, Yannick Jauzion, Florian Fritz, Thomas Castaignède, Frédéric Michalak, Yann Delaigue, Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, Grégory Lamboley, Yannick Nyanga, Olivier Magne, Rémy Martin, Thomas Lièvremont, Fabien Pelous, Jerome Thion, Lionel Nallet, Sylvain Marconnet, Pieter De Villiers, Olivier Milloud, Dimitri Szarzewski, Sébastien Bruno.

French Barbarians - 15 Clement Poitrenaud (Toulouse); 14 Pepito Elhorga (France), 13 Guillaume Bousses (France), 12 Conrad Stoltz (South Africa), 11 Sireli Bobo (Fiji); 10 Jean Frederic Dubois (Toulouse), 9 Justin Marshall (New Zealand, captain); 8 Pierre Rabadan (France), 7 Gregory Patat (France), 6 Julien Puricelli (France), 5 David Couzinet (France), 4 Mike James (Canada), 3 Kees Meeuws (New Zealand), 2 Benoit August (France), 1 Yannick Forester (France).

Replacements: Benjamin Boyet (France), Maleli Kunavore (Fiji), Dimitri Yachvili (France), Alex Manta (Romania), Nicolas Spanghero (Castres), Gregory Menkarska (France), Romain Terrain (France).

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