Leinster head coach Joe Schmidt was not surprised that Jonathan Sexton held his nerve to salvage a 16-16 draw with the last kick of a pulsating game against Montpellier.

Montpellier 16 Leinster 16

WHATEVER about the final score against New Zealand a few weeks ago, the 2011 World Cup will go down as a personal disappointment for Montpellier’s Fulgence Ouedraogo.

FRANCE coach Marc Lievremont was “satisfied” after seeing his side claim a second straight bonus-point win in Pool A with a 46-19 success over Canada in Napier.

At least 11 people have been killed in Burkina Faso after a truck collided with two buses, state television said.

Fulgence Ouedraogo earned a reprieve today when he was recalled to the France squad to face Australia by coach Marc Lievremont.

France coach Marc Lievremont has made two changes to his side to face Australia on Saturday, bringing flanker Fulgence Ouedraogo and full-back Jerome Porical into his starting line-up.

Mathieu Bastareaud has been left out of France’s squad for their upcoming internationals against Fiji, Argentina and Australia.

France hooker William Servat has warned his team-mates against the danger of underestimating Wales ahead of tomorrow night’s RBS 6 Nations clash at the Millennium Stadium.

France centre Yannick Jauzion has urged his team-mates to maintain their focus ahead of Friday night’s game against Wales as they bid to continue their march to the RBS 6 Nations title.

FRANCE will bid to enhance their place at the top of the RBS 6 Nations Championship table when they play Wales on Friday night.

France coach Marc Lievremont has made two enforced changes for Les Bleus’ RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales in Cardiff on Friday night.

France’s injury problems continue with the news that Fulgence Ouedraogo and Sylvain Marconnet have been replaced by Alexandre Lapandry and Clement Baiocco respectively.

GAMBLING has never come easily to Declan Kidney but there’s a view in the French capital that he’s taking something of a chance with Stephen Ferris by including the Ulster man at number six for today’s crunch RBS Six Nations clash with France.

FRANCE coach Marc Lièvremont was reluctant to talk up comeback king Mathieu Bastareaud ahead of Ireland’s forthcoming trip to Paris, despite the Stade Francais man announcing his return to the international stage with a brace of tries yesterday.

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.

FEARS for the welfare of France centre Mathieu Bastareaud are growing after it was revealed that the 20-year-old has been hospitalised suffering from serious psychological problems, according to his club, Stade Francais.

France have made four changes in personnel to their 23-man squad for the RBS 6 Nations Championship match against England at Twickenham on Sunday week.

Clement Poitrenaud has called on France’s critics to give the team more time to adapt to their new ambitious approach.

France 22 Scotland 13

Ireland enter their 2009 RBS 6 nations opener against France today in the unusual position of being favourites for the fixture.

FRANCE captain Lionel Nallet preferred to dwell on his team’s victory over Italy rather than the prospect of registering a heavy win against Wales next weekend to retain the RBS 6 Nations Championship title.

England arrive in Paris seeking a first Six Nations victory at Stade de France for eight years today.

NEW-LOOK France got their RBS 6 Nations Championship campaign off to the perfect start with an impressive victory against lacklustre Scotland at Murrayfield.

THE ALL BLACKS have been forced to call up the seventh and eighth locks on their pecking order yesterday, after Ali Williams and Keith Robinson joined a growing list of seriously injured middle row forwards.