RUGBY:TRUE TO his word that he will give pretty much every fit member of his squad a run-out in the two games against Ireland, Marc Lièvremont will virtually change his entire starting line-up when announcing his side for Saturday's rematch at the Aviva Stadium at lunchtime today.
Indeed, the recuperative powers of his walking wounded will be the only thing that frustrates Lièvremont from doing so. His most notable concerns remain up front, where some French pundits reckon Lièvremont may trim his 32-man squad next Monday by culling two of the six props in his squad.
Thus, for example, it is unclear whether either Thomas Domingo or Fabien Barcella (who has not played in over a year) will be able to start, which could mean that the Toulouse loosehead, Jean-Baptiste Poux (who made a big impact in Bordeaux off the bench) will be asked to start, as might Guilham Guirado at hooker.
It is expected that Nicolas Mas will start at tighthead, with Pascal Pape and Lionel Nallet in the secondrow, and a backrow of Julien Bonnaire, Fulgence Ouedraogo and Louis Picamoles.
Morgan Parra is sure to start at scrumhalf, after Dimitri Yachvili threw down the gauntlet in Stade Chaban-Delmas with a virtuoso performance, full of his typically sharp decision making, smooth passing to the two outhalves he serviced and another flawless outing off the kicking tee.
David Skrela is likely to start at outhalf but thereafter injuries again muddy the picture, while Lièvremont is hopeful that Aurélien Rougerie will be considered fit enough to start after fracturing his ankle in the semi-finals of the Top 14.
This is compounded by David Marty suffering a twisted ankle in the first half in Bordeaux which will sideline him for a fortnight.
Cedric Heymans is likely to start on either the wing or, more likely, fullback, as is the Brive centre Fabrice Estebanez and, most probably Maxime Médard, try scorer in France’s Six Nations win at the Aviva Stadium.
Thus it’s probable that either Alexis Palisson or Vincent Clerc will be required to start both games and given the dastardly Clerc scored his eighth try in eight meetings between the countries last Saturday, it might be decidedly helpful if Lièvremont opted for Palisson.
Dublin University have followed up their overall victory in the inaugural Irish Sevens by winning the Scandinavian Sevens over the weekend in Denmark.
They beat the winners of the Kinsale Sevens and the dominant force on the English sevens scene, Susies Exiles, 31-21 in the final having also beaten them 15-0 in the group stages.
FRANCE (v Ireland, possible team): Heymans; Clerc/Palisson, Rougerie, Estebanez, Médard; Skrela, Parra; Poux, Guirado, Mas, Nallet, Pape, Bonnaire, Ouedraogo, Picamoles.
