Biarritz forward Raphael Lakafia will make his France debut against Ireland in Bordeaux on Saturday.

SEBASTIEN CHABAL was left out of France’s provisional World Cup squad for sporting rather than political reasons, national team boss Marc Lievremont declared.

Sebastien Chabal was left out of France’s provisional World Cup squad for sporting rather than political reasons, according to national team boss Marc Lievremont.

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

NEW ZEALAND coach Graham Henry knows only too well the pressures that coaching Wales can bring and can probably empathise with the situation Warren Gatland finds himself in heading into Saturday’s final Test between the two countries.

Biarritz 19 Toulouse 21

France coach Marc Lievremont has rested a handful of his senior players due to their “weariness” for their tour to South Africa and Argentina.

France number eight Imanol Hirinordoquy has recovered from a broken nose to take his place for Biarritz against Munster in the Heineken Cup semi-final in San Sebastian on Sunday.

Biarritz sporting manager Laurent Rodriguez has criticised Marc Lievremont’s decision to call Dimitri Yachvili into his RBS 6 Nations squad ahead of Saturday’s clash with Italy in Paris.

IF DECLAN KIDNEY is keen to present fresh challenges to his high-achieving national squad, then Saturday’s crunch clash against France fits the bill perfectly. With just a solitary win in the French capital in the past 38 years, conquering the Stade de France this weekend is a potential fast-track to glory.

France centre Yannick Jauzion insists Les Bleus cannot afford to make the same mistakes as last year when they take on Scotland in their RBS 6 Nations opener on Sunday.

JEAN-BAPTISTE ELISSALDE is out of France’s RBS Six Nations opener against Scotland at Murrayfield – and is likely to miss Saturday’s week crunch clash with Ireland.

Jean-Baptiste Elissalde has been forced to pull out of France’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Scotland at Murrayfield and will be replaced by Toulouse team-mate Frederic Michalak.

IT’S 25 years since Ireland entered the RBS Six Nations as reigning champions, and all of 62 years since they defended a Grand Slam.

France lock Sebastien Chabal has been forced to pull out of Les Bleus’ RBS 6 Nations opener against Scotland at Murrayfield with a back injury.

MARC LIEVREMONT has painfully recalled France’s Twickenham capitulation against England last season, labelling it “a slap in the face”.

Controversial centre Mathieu Bastareaud has been recalled to the France squad for the 2010 RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Gloucester 23 Biarritz 8

Biarritz 49 Newport Gwent Dragons 13

NEW ZEALAND yesterday filed an official complaint over what they believe was an eye-gouge on prop Tony Woodcock following their crushing win over France in Marseilles on Saturday.

NEW ZEALAND rugby coach Graham Henry has made three changes from the team that beat England 19-6 for Saturday’s Test against France in Marseille.

France coach Marc Lievremont today made four changes to his squad for Saturday’s Test against New Zealand in Marseille.

Leicester scrum-half Julien Dupuy has been called up by France for the first time ahead of Les Bleus’ summer tour to the southern hemisphere.

France are looking to bounce back from last weekend’s nightmare at Twickenham when they take on wooden-spoon favourites Italy in the RBS 6 Nations at Rome’s Stadio Flaminio today.

FRANCE head coach Marc Lievremont admits his team could be embarrassed by Italy on Saturday if they fail to improve on the “mediocrity” they have shown so far in the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

France have made four changes in personnel to their team for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations match against Italy in Rome.

France will go with an unchanged squad for their last match in the RBS 6 Nations Championship, against Italy in Rome on Saturday.

MARTIN JOHNSON has urged England to win back the faith of the Twickenham crowd with a ferocious start and victorious finish to tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations showdown with France.

SEBASTIEN CHABAL will be under orders to smash some holes in England’s much-vaunted defence when he reverts to France’s back row for ‘Le Crunch’ at Twickenham on Sunday.

Sebastien Chabal will return to France’s back row for Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship match against England at Twickenham.

France head coach Marc Lievremont has taken a major gamble by selecting Benoit Baby at fly-half for Friday’s RBS 6 Nations match against Wales in Paris.

France have made four changes to the team which started last weekend’s defeat against Ireland for Saturday’s RBS Six Nations match against Scotland in Paris.

France head coach Marc Lievremont will go with an unchanged squad for next weekend’s RBS 6 Nations match against Scotland in Paris.

France head coach Marc Lievremont has named just one recognised fly-half in his provisional 30-man squad for a three-day training camp ahead of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Sebastien Tillous-Borde and Sebastien Chabal have been drafted into France’s starting XV for Saturday’s Test against Australia in Paris.

FRANCE head coach Marc Lievremont’s revolving door policy continued yesterday when he named three uncapped players in his starting XV for Sunday’s RBS Six Nations Championship clash with Italy.

France have named three uncapped players in their starting XV for Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy in Paris.

ITALY loose forward Mauro Bergamasco will miss the rest of the RBS 6 Nations Championship after he was handed a 13-week ban for poking Wales full-back Lee Byrne in the eye.

France coach Marc Lievremont has made eight changes to his 22-man squad to take on Italy in their penultimate RBS 6 Nations clash on March 9.