SIX NATIONS:ITALY COACH Nick Mallett has recalled four injured players, including outhalf Andrea Marcato, for their vital upcoming Six Nations fixture against Scotland, but must plan without Andrea Masi after the Italian fullback was handed a three-week suspension for an incident involving Ireland's Robert Kearney during Sunday's game in Rome.
A Six Nations independent disciplinary committee found that the player, who received a yellow card for the neck high tackle during the game, warranted further punishment for the offence. They opted for mid-range censure – the upper end would have been six weeks – after Masi showed genuine remorse and pleaded guilty to the transgression.
He will miss the game against the Scots but will be available for Italy’s final two matches in the Six Nations. There was better news for the Azzurri in that Treviso outhalf Marcato (head injury) and Gloucester lock Marco Bortolami (knee) return after missing the defeat to Ireland, while scrumhalf Pablo Canavosio and hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini have also successfully recovered from injuries.
The uncapped Giulio Rubini has also been included, but wing Kaine Robertson, who went off with a hamstring in the first-half against Ireland, and replacement scrumhalf Giulio Toniolatti have been omitted along with secondrow Tommaso Reato and hooker Carlo Festuccia.
The France coach Marc Lievremont has decided to go back to the future in recalling veteran prop Sylvain Marconnet to counterbalance a growing injury list in that position for Friday week’s Six Nations clash with Wales at the Stade de France.
Marconnet, who has 71 caps, last played for France in February 2007, a 32-21 win over Wales at the Stade de France, but has struggled with injuries in the interim. Days after that game, he broke his leg while skiing with his family and he was not only ruled out of the rest of that Six Nations but also the World Cup later that year.
His club form has been excellent prompting a recall. “Only in the last few months has he got his form back for his Parisian club,” said Lievremont. The coach’s hand was forced somewhat because props Benoit Lecouls (neck) and Nicolas Mas (adductor) are unavailable for selection. Lievremont also elected to make one further alteration, with Clermont-Auvergne’s Thomas Domingo preferred to Renaud Boyoud, as the former can cover both sides of the scrum.
Boyoud drops out of the squad, despite coming on as a replacement in the victory over Scotland on Saturday. Florian Fritz is still banned for an incident in the game against Ireland so Maxime Mermoz remains in the squad as one of three centres.
There had been calls for Toulouse outhalf David Skrela to return to cover the pivot position, but Clermont’s Benoit Baby has retained the faith of the selectors.
A calf strain suffered by starting outhalf Lionel Beauxis will keep him out of this weekend’s French Championship and may provide a route back into the national squad for Skrela. Lievremont is scheduled to name his starting XV on Monday.
Wales’ task of maintaining their unbeaten run have improved after centre Jamie Roberts was cleared to play. Winger Shane Williams is also expected to be fit, as is Gavin Henson. Henson was part of a group of players that have been reprimanded by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) for their behaviour on a night out. Henson, Andy Powell, Rhys Thomas and Jonathan Thomas each admitted to “varying degrees of regrettable conduct”, a statement from the WRU said.The four were out in Cardiff on Sunday night, the day after Wales’s Six Nations victory over England.
Phillips said all six were questioned about what happened by both himself and Warren Gatland. “They have all been warned that their various levels of involvement in events . . . will be taken into account in future if they are party to any incidents . . . by any squad members,” he said. A witness said Henson had been abusive to customers in a city centre pub opposite the Millennium Stadium.
FRANCE SQUAD: F Barcella, L Faure, T Domingo, S Marconnet, B Kayser, D Szarzewski, S Chabal, R Millo-Chluski, L Nallet, T Dusautoir, I Harinordoquy, F Ouedraogo, L Picamoles, M Parra, S Tillous-Borde, L Beauxis, B Baby, Y Jauzion, M Mermoz, C Heymans, J Malzieu, M Médard, C Poitrenaud.
ITALY SQUAD: A Bacchetti, M Bergamasco, G Canale, P Canavosio, G Garcia, P Griffen, A Marcato, A Masi, L McLean, M Pratichetti, G Rubini, M Bergamasco, M Bortolami, M Castrogiovanni, C Antonio D Fava, S Dellape, L Ghiraldini, C Nieto, F Ongaro, S Parisse, S Perugini, I Rouyet, J Sole, A Zanni.
