Marty called up to replace Baby on bench

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 team manager Jo Maso said: “We are sticking to our strategy of trying to bring in the maximum number of young players to boost the squad.”

Coach Bernard Laporte will be hoping he won’t have to make any other last-minute changes, especially with prop Sylvain Marconnet and replacement hooker William Servat getting the all-clear following medical tests at La Clinique des Sports in Paris.