Rugby:France coach Marc Lievremont has named an unchanged team for Sunday's World Cup final against New Zealand in Auckland. The France coach has retained the team that edged out Wales 9-8 in a controversial semi-final at Eden Park five days ago.
Wales had captain Sam Warburton sent off after just 18 minutes, but Les Bleus struggled to make their one-man advantage count and were indebted to outhalf Morgan Parra’s goalkicking for their victory. Lievremont will confirm the composition of his replacements’ bench later this week.
With just one match remaining of Lievremont's tenure, there were signs today of a thaw in relations between the coach and his players. Somehow, despite a World Cup campaign beset by bickering, in-fighting and public disagreements, the French have reached the showpiece on Sunday.
Lievremont heralded their semi-final victory over Wales by branding a number of his players "spoiled brats" but signalled a softening - if not a rapprochement - today by reflecting on that spat.
"I think the players have been committed for some time," he replied when asked about Sunday's incident, when he said a number of his players were "undisciplined, disobedient, sometimes selfish. Always complaining, always whingeing."
Today he reflected: "I said these things to try to put pressure on the players, to motivate them. When I read my words in the written press, I realised I might have been better keeping my big, fat mouth shut. Obviously it was humour. I said it affectionately. They're real pains but they're lovable."
After France's defeat to Tonga in the pool stages, forward Imanol Harinordoquy slammed Lievremont for criticising the players in public. Lievremont described his "shame" at the display against Tonga, comparing the team to the disgraced France squad which spectacularly melted down at last year's soccer World Cup.
"I am not happy because all the media know what he said," Harinordoquy said at the time. "I think there are things that have to stay in the room when you speak between the coach and players. He can say that to us, that is not a problem, but I prefer that those kind of things stay in the room."
Lievremont told the media his players were guilty of cowardice after the French lost to Italy in the Six Nations earlier this year and there have been a rash of reports about divisions in the French camp at the World Cup.
With one match to go as French coach, however - the biggest match of all - all that will be forgotten if Lievremont can steer France to a sensational, if unlikely, victory in Sunday's final.
France:M Medard; V Clerc, A Rougerie, M Mermoz, A Palisson; M Parra, D Yachvili; J-B Poux, W Servat, N Mas; P Pape, L Nallett; T Dusautoir (capt), J Bonnaire, I Harinordoquy. Replacements:to be confirmed.
