Five Changes For France

French coach Bernard Laporte has made five changes, from the side that defeated Italy 39-3 in Rome, for the clash with Ireland at Croke Park on Sunday.

In the backline, try-scorer in Rome Cedris Heymans makes way for Toulouse wing Vincent Clerc while Clerc’s clubmate Florian Fritz is ruled out through injury and is replaced by David Marty (Perpignan).

Up front Sylvain Marconnet is preferred to Olivier Milloud.  Pascal Pape who came on as a replacement when Sebatien Chabal retired injured is retained as second-row partner for Lionel Naillet and another replacement in Rome, Imanol Harinordoquy remains in the side at the expense of the man he replaced, Julien Bonnaire.

Meanwhile there is optimism in the Irish camp that Brian O’Driscoll may be fit for Sunday’s game after medical examination revealed the injury he suffered in Cardiff not to be as bad as first feared.

Therre is concern about Peter Stringer who sustained a hairline break to a metacarpal in his right hand. The injury will prevent him from training in the early part of this week, but he has not been ruled out and will have further medical examination on Friday.

The Irish team announcement will be made tomorrow afternoon, as well as confirmation of the Ireland ‘A’ line-up for Friday’s meeting with England Saxons at Ravenhill. The following ten players have been brought into the Irish senior squad as cover:

Forwards – Bryan Young (Ulster), Malcolm O’Kelly (Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), Keith Gleeson (Leinster) and Trevor Hogan (Leinster)

Backs – Tommy Bowe (Ulster), Rob Kearney (Leinster), Barry Murphy (Munster), Kieran Lewis (Leinster) and Eoin Reddan (Wasps) 

France: 15 Clément Poitrenaud (Toulouse), 14 Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), 13 David Marty (Perpignan), 12 Yannick Jauzion (Toulouse), 11 Christophe Dominici (Stade Français), 10 David Skréla (Stade Français), 9 Pierre Mignoni (Clermont Auvergne), 8 Sebastian Chabal (Sale Sharks), 7 Imañol Harinordoquy (Biarritz), 6 Serge Betsen (Biarritz), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Papé, 3 Pieter de Villiers (Stade Français), 2 Raphaël Ibañez (London Wasps) (captain), 1 Sylvain Marconnet (Stade Français).
Replacements: 16 Yannick Bru (Sale Sharks), 17 Olivier Milloud (Bourgoin), 18 Jérôme Thion (Biarritz), 19 Julien Bonnaire (Bourgoin), 20 Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz), 21 Lionel Beauxis (Stade Français), 22 Cédric Heymans (Toulouse)

Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand), Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)
Television match official: Peter Allan (Scotland)