THE quality of their rugby has have been a massive disappointment but there never really is a dull day with this Irish World Cup squad.

Fabien Pelous and Imanol Harinordoquy have emerged as injury concerns for France ahead of Friday’s pivotal Pool D clash with Ireland in Paris.

France will give more of their squad players a chance to impress ahead of the World Cup when they take on Wales in Cardiff on Sunday.

FRANCE team manager Jo Maso has put up a stout defence of his much criticised pack ahead of the return match against England this weekend.

France team manager Jo Maso has put up a stout defence of his under-fire pack ahead of the return match against England this weekend.

France team manager Jo Maso does not believe England’s crushing victory over Wales will have an influence on his team’s clash with the world champions at Twickenham on Saturday.

FRANCE are determined to learn from their mistakes of four years ago as they head into their series of warm-up matches ahead of the World Cup.

FRANCE team manager Jo Maso insists it was an “easy” decision to make Raphael Ibanez captain for the World Cup campaign.

France team manager Jo Maso insists it was an “easy” decision to make Raphael Ibanez captain for the forthcoming World Cup campaign.

France have sprung a number of surprises in their 30-man squad for the World Cup, which begins in September.

France have named an experimental squad for the two-Test tour of New Zealand.

France team manager Jo Maso wants his side to rediscover the flair and pride that was missing against England when they take on Scotland in the final round of the Six Nations Championship on Saturday.

French Barbarians 14 Argentina 28

GARETH JENKINS reacted to Wales’ 21-9 defeat to Scotland by making seven changes for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with France, including four in a revamped pack.

France's rotation policy continues for this weekend's RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales - and team manager Jo Maso has vowed it will be in full force until the end of the tournament.

FRANCE Coach Bernard Laporte has made five changes to the team to play Ireland in the Six Nations in Dublin on Sunday from the one that hammered Italy 39-3 on the tournament’s opening weekend.

FRENCH coach Bernard Laporte believes victory over Ireland in Dublin this season could ultimately see his team retain the RBS 6 Nations Championship crown.

France have delayed the naming of their squad for their first Six Nations clash against Italy because of injury problems.

FRENCH rugby coach Bernard Laporte has revealed he will be looking to copy Ireland’s strategy as the hosts prepare for next year’s rugby World Cup.

FRANCE were anything but dispirited after losing the second of two autumn Tests against New Zealand on home soil, taking consolation from the improvement shown after the seven-try drubbing in the first game.

RAPHAEL IBANEZ believes France will be all the stronger come next year’s World Cup on home soil after winning the RBS Six Nations Championship despite never hitting top gear.

FRANCE coach Bernard Laporte’s quixotic attitude to selection saw him make three changes to the team that beat Ireland 43-31 for Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Italy at the Stade de France.

Thomas Castaignede returns to the France line-up against Italy at the Stade de France on Saturday in the RBS Six Nations.

EXPERIENCED duo Thomas Castaignede and Serge Betsen have been drafted back into the France squad as coach Bernard Laporte looks toward their RBS Six Nations Championship match against Italy.

Experienced duo Thomas Castaignede and Serge Betsen have been drafted back into the France squad as coach Bernard Laporte looks at his options ahead of their RBS 6 Nations Championship match against Italy.

HAS THERE ever been a more amazing second half in the history of the International Championship?

France coach Bernard Laporte hopes the recall of veterans Raphael Ibanez and Olivier Magne will provide a much-needed boost in morale ahead of Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Ireland in Paris.

FRANCE captain Fabien Pelous yesterday hit out at his teammates for their days of soul-searching in the wake of last weekend’s Six Nations defeat to Scotland.

SCOTLAND captain Jason White admits defeating France on Sunday would mean more to him than winning his 50th cap.

FRANCE have recalled skipper Fabien Pelous for their Six Nations opener against Scotland at Murrayfield on February 5.

France have opted to keep faith with the majority of the squad that did so well during the second half of 2005 as they go in search of glory at the RBS 6 Nations.

FRANCE rugby captain Jerome Thion, who suffered a fractured larynx during their 26-20 victory over South Africa, will be out for at least six weeks, team doctor Thierry Hermerel said last night.

FRANCE captain Dimitri Yachvili remains a major doubt for Saturday’s test against Australia after spraining his right ankle against South Africa last weekend.

FRANCE coach Bernard Laporte admitted yesterday that he was puzzled by the clearing of Italy prop Salvatore Perugini of a dangerous tackle on Christophe Dominici during last weekend’s Six Nations match.

France coach Bernard Laporte admits his team’s failure to build on their half-time lead against Wales could have cost them their RBS 6 Nations title.

France team manager Jo Maso has given his full backing to Benoit Baby after the centre was cited by the independent match commissioner during Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations match with Ireland in Dublin.

HOOKER William Servat has been named in the France squad for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy in Rome.

France team manager Jo Maso knows Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations showdown with Ireland will not be the easygoing fixture it used to be in the days when Ireland were seen as one of the tournament’s makeweights.

PERPIGNAN’S 22-year-old David Marty has been drafted into the French replacements for tomorrow’s Six Nations clash with Ireland at Lansdowne Road. He comes in for uncapped Toulouse back Benoit Baby, who will start at centre in place of the injured Ludovic Valbon.

France have recorded convincing victories in each of their last two meetings with Ireland but Les Bleus coach Bernard Laporte is not holding out hope for a repeat showing when they face Eddie O’Sullivan’s Grand Slam-chasing outfit in Dublin this weekend.