Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny, fast-tracked back into the team after a serious knee injury, landed three early penalties for Toulon and when Mamuka Gorgodze charged over for the opening try to make it 14-6 the game looked all over. Racing, beaten in the European Champions Cup by England's Saracens last month, were level at 3-3 after 18 minutes before the red card for Machenaud swung momentum firmly Toulon's way.Īfter trailing 14-12 at the break, however, Racing produced a magnificent display to regain control of the game and secure a famous victory. Replacements: Guirado (Perpignan), Debaty (Clermont Auvergne), Slimani (Stade Francais), Flanquart (Stade Francais), Vahaamahina (Perpignan), Lauret (Racing Metro), Doussain (Toulouse), Mermoz (Toulon).Racing 92's Maxime Machenaud was sent off for a nasty tackle in the Top 14 final. Plisson makes way for Tales, but Saint-Andre said: “This isn’t a punishment for Jules, but more of a strategic decision for the Ireland match.”Īs anticipated, hooker Szarzewski and back-rower Picamoles return to the pack, the latter at flanker rather than in his usual number eight role as Damien Chouly keeps his place.įrance team to play Ireland in the Six Nations at the Stade de France on Saturday:ĭulin (Castres), Huget (Toulouse), Bastareaud (Toulon), Fickou (Toulouse), Medard (Toulouse), Tales (Castres), Machenaud (Racing Metro) Domingo (Clermont Auvergne), Szarzewski (Racing Metro), Mas (Montpellier), Pape (Stade Francais), Maestri (Toulouse), Picamoles (Toulouse), Lapandry (Clermont Auvergne), Chouly (Clermont Auvergne). He scored France’s winning try against England earlier in the championship after coming off the bench, and Saint-Andre will be looking for more magic from the teenagerįly-half Plisson is, like Mach, dropped from the match 23. Attacking-wise, he can bring us very interesting solutions because of his speed, his youth and his audacity.”įickou is hardly an unknown quantity. “It’s a logical step with relation to the squad and the work he has done. “We need to see his talent expressed from the start with a true challenge alongside Mathieu Bastaraud and against two great Ireland centres (O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy). “He is in form, he has speed,” Saint-Andre said, according to. Maxime Mermoz drops to the bench to accommodate that change, with Jules Plisson, Brice Mach and Sebastien Vahaamahina also losing their starting roles as Remi Tales, Dimitri Szarzewski and Louis Picamoles coming in.įrance head into the match level on points with England and Ireland at the top of the standings, but with a vastly inferior points difference and the knowledge they only scraped a narrow and unconvincing win over Scotland last time out.įrance coach Philippe Saint-Andre believes 19-year-old Stade Toulouse player Fickou can justify his inclusion for the Stade de France tussle. France have included centre Gael Fickou in one of four changes to their starting XV for Saturday’s clash with Ireland on the final weekend of the Six Nations.įickou starts a game in this season’s championship for the first time and he will pair up with Mathieu Bastareaud in midfield as France look to combat the threat posed by Ireland playmaker Brian O’Driscoll, who makes his 141st and final international appearance.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |