FRENCH scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili has warned the rest of the rugby giants his side can beat anyone to win the World Cup.

BORDEAUX may be famed for its wine and lush countryside, but not too many of the current Irish squad have as many happy memories as the rest of us.

BORDEAUX may be famed for its wine and lush countryside, but not too many of the current Irish squad have as many happy memories as the rest of us.

Sebastien Chabal has been omitted from France’s provisional 32-man squad for the World Cup in September.

HEINEKEN Cup champions Toulouse booked a semi-final date with 2009 winners Leinster in Dublin after a thrilling 27-20 extra-time victory over Biarritz at Estadio Anoeta yesterday.

France coach Marc Lievremont has sprung a major surprise ahead of his side’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Scotland in Paris by picking Damien Traille at full-back and leaving star centre Yannick Jauzion out of his matchday 22.

Biarritz prop Sylvain Marconnet has been recalled by France coach Marc Lievremont to his 30-man squad for the defence of their RBS 6 Nations crown.

A SLOPPY first-half defensive showing from Glasgow at Firhill allowed holders Toulouse to take control of Pool Six in the Heineken Cup.

WASPS head coach Tony Hanks was proud of his players after the London club came close to pulling off a shock victory at the reigning Heineken Cup champions.

FRANCE coach Marc Lièvremont blamed his team’s horrific opening 20 minutes for their 42-17 loss to South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday.

Wenceslas Lauret will make his international debut for France against South Africa on Saturday after being named in the starting XV by Marc Lievremont for the clash at Newlands.

HE may have looked strangely subdued come the final whistle in Paris on Saturday, but Toulouse coach Guy Noves livened up somewhat when praising his team after they recorded a record fourth Heineken Cup triumph.

Toulouse coach Guy Noves has decided to go with David Skrela at out-half against Leinster in the Heineken Cup semi-final on Saturday.

BYRON KELLEHER has warned three-time Heineken Cup champions Toulouse to raise their level of performance despite a crushing 42-16 quarter-final win over rivals Stade Francais at Le Stadium yesterday.

DANNY CIPRIANI has been left out of England’s squad for the summer Test series against Argentina – but there is a recall for 2003 World Cup-winning hooker Steve Thompson.

BUTCH JAMES insists Bath will learn from their last-gasp Heineken Cup defeat away to Toulouse yesterday.

TOBY FLOOD openly admits he is enduring a week from hell as England prepare to complete their failed RBS 6 Nations campaign.

France have gone with experience after making six changes to their squad for Saturday's RBS 6 Nations Championship title decider against Wales in Cardiff.

Scrum-half Morgan Parra will make his first start for France in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship match against England in Paris.

France have made six personnel changes to their team for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Ireland in Paris.

AHEAD of Ireland’s visit to France next Saturday French winger Julien Malzieu says he was “disappointed” with Ireland’s uninspiring win over Italy.

Uncapped Francois Trinh-Duc will play at fly-half in a much-changed France side for Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations match against Scotland at Murrayfield.

RICHARD HILL believes his Bristol team will encounter “a different animal” when they target an unlikely Heineken Cup double against French champions Stade Francais tonight.

France coach Bernard Laporte has rung the changes for Friday night’s World Cup bronze medal match against Argentina in Paris.

FRANCE flanker Julien Bonnaire has admitted that his team will become temporary Irish fans tomorrow as World Cup Pool D reaches a nervous finale.

FRANCE have made nine changes to their starting line-up to take on Georgia in their final World Cup Group D match at Marseille on Sunday.

ARGENTINA’S forward power has forced France head coach Bernard Laporte into making some “painful” decisions in selecting his starting line-up for Friday’s World Cup opener at the Stade de France.

Frederic Michalak and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde will form the half-back partnership combination for France when they take on England in a World Cup warm-up match in Marseille tomorrow.

France have rung the changes in their 22-man squad for the World Cup warm-up match against England in Marseille on Saturday.

GEORDAN MURPHY has underlined Leicester’s degree of difficulty in chasing an unprecedented trophy treble, declaring: “It is like climbing Everest.”

France have made three changes to the team that lost to England last weekend for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash with Scotland in Paris.

ITALY flanker Mauro Bergamasco will miss Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland after receiving a four-week ban for punching Wales captain Stephen Jones.

Sebastien Chabal and Dimitri Yachvili have been dropped from France’s squad for the RBS 6 Nations Championship clash with Scotland on Saturday.

France A 20 Ireland A 12

Stade Francais 30 Ulster 10

MUNSTER coach Alan Gaffney remains a worried man despite the loss by Stade Francais of key-figure Augustin Pichot for tomorrow's Heineken Cup quarter-final at Thomond Park.