JULIEN DUPUY, the Stade Francais scrum-half, will miss France’s entire Six Nations campaign after his appeal against a 24-week suspension for gouging was reduced by just seven days to 23 weeks.

THERE have been many famous Munster moments in France, but few to rival this.

SIX years ago Munster beat a hasty retreat from the Stade Aime Giral, battered, bruised and all but eliminated from the Heineken Cup.

Perpignan 14 Munster 37

IT COULD hardly be the case that Perpignan have gone soft all of a sudden! The French champions are renowned as the hard men of their national championship and the team so tough to conquer at their own Stade Aime Giral that they have won 27 of their last 29 matches at the venue.

Munster coach Tony McGahan has made the shock decision to jettison Jean de Villiers for the Heineken Cup tie at home to Perpignan on Friday evening.