Sport

France respect quality of Merceron

France's  Six Nations hero Gerald Merceron has been recalled to the starting line-up for the one-off Test with Canada at the …

Wed Nov 20 2002 - 00:00

France's  Six Nations hero Gerald Merceron has been recalled to the starting line-up for the one-off Test with Canada at the Stade de France on Saturday.

Merceron, player of the Six Nations tournament as France took the Grand Slam, was left out of the team that started in the victory over South Africa and the 20-20 draw with the All Blacks but comes in to replace outhalf Francois Gelez.

Merceron's Montferrand team-mate Daniel Bory - who was not on the bench for either Test - is the other change to the XV which started against the Kiwis, coming in for Toulouse winger Cedric Heymans.

French manager Jo Maso said that despite a slip in Merceron's form he still merited his inclusion and indicated the outhalf spot for next year's World Cup rested between him and the younger Gelez and brushed aside speculation Thomas Castaignede might return to his former position.

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"It's a bit early to bury Merceron," he said. "I have read criticism of him that he is too limited but people forget he was the player of the Six Nations last campaign.

"We should see if he can return to the form he showed last season and not write him off because of a poor start to the season.

"Gerald has missed kicks this season but so has Francois so there is little between them," added the former French rugby great.

Merceron admitted his form had dipped but the 29-year-old said he had not felt his place was threatened in the squad. "I never felt threatened on the playing front, though I have on the personal side ... the reasons which I won't go into," said Merceron, who is set to win his 20th cap.

FRANCE: N Brusque (Biarritz); V Clerc (Toulouse), T Castaignede (Saracens), D Traille (Pau), D Bory (Montferrand); G Merceron (Montferrand), F Galthie (Stade Francais, capt); JJ Crenca (Agen), R Ibanez (Castres), P De Villiers (Stade Francais), F Pelous (Toulouse), O Brouzet (Montferrand), S Betsen (Biarritz), O Magne (Montferrand), I Harinordoquy (Pau). Replacements: JB Rue (Agen), S Chabal (Bourgoin), S Marconnet (Stade Francais), T Privat (Beziers), D Yachvili (Biarritz), F Gelez (Agen), X Garbajosa (Toulouse)