Nations-Lievremont reshuffles France backline

Flyhalf Beauxis and fullback Poitrenaud, who have 12 and 31 caps to their name respectively, played their last international during the 2007 World Cup while centre Fritz won the last of his 13 caps in the 2007 Six Nations.

In the pack, Lievremont kept faith with all but one of the players who featured in the 18-13 defeat by Australia in the November test.

The only change is a switch between loosehead props Benoit Lecouls, who was on the bench against the Wallabies and will start the Croke Park game, and Nicolas Mas.

When President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran took up President Barack Obama’s invitation for direct talks, he seemed to be signaling the start of a war-or-peace drama that may define the Obama administration’s first engagement with the rest of the world.

Source: http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2009/02/03/sports/OUKSP-UK-RUGBY-NATIONS-FRANCE.php

PREVIEW-Rugby-Ireland, France put faith in partnerships

The pair first played together at 10 and 12 when Ireland

beat their French hosts at the 1998 under-19 World Cup.

The French coach clearly has an eye on the 2011 World Cup,

particularly given 20-year-old Morgan Para’s promotion to the

bench instead of the natural goalkicking cover of scrumhalf

something like 25 games to play before the 2011 World Cup, it’s

“It’s the first time since our appointment we are able to

field the team we had in mind,” he added after choosing centre

Florian Fritz and fullback Clement Poitrenaud for the first

Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/rugbyNews/idUKL58091420090205