Marconnet ruled out of Six Nations

FRANCE prop Sylvain Marconnet has been ruled out of the rest of the RBS 6 Nations Championship after suffering a serious injury while on a skiing holiday.

The Stade Francais front-row forward, who has 71 caps for Les Bleus, sustained a double fracture of the shinbone and fibula and could be out for around four months.

Pieter De Villiers comes in for Marconnet, while Sale Sharks number eight Sebastien Chabal makes his return in place of Elvis Vermeulen.

There are five changes overall from the squad that beat Wales 32-21 last weekend.

Chabal’s Sale team-mate Sebastien Bruno is back-up hooker to captain Raphael Ibanez, meaning Benoit August drops out.

Pascal Pape returns at lock in place of Gregory Lamboley, while Toulouse winger Cedric Heymans is preferred to Aurelien Rougerie.

France are unbeaten in this season’s Six Nations, with games against England and Scotland remaining.

Martin Corry could regain the England captaincy for Sunday’s showdown. England’s worrying injury problems mean skipper Phil Vickery and another potential leader – fly-half Jonny Wilkinson – are battling to face the French at Twickenham.

And that might open the door for Leicester number eight Corry, who captained England throughout 2006 when the world champions suffered a record-equalling seven successive Test defeats.

One of England head coach Brian Ashton’s first moves after he replaced Andy Robinson was to appoint Vickery as skipper.

But the 30-year-old Wasps tighthead suffered concussion during his club’s Guinness Premiership victory against Bristol yesterday, and will be subjected to an on-going medical review over the next 48 hours.

Vickery required treatment on the pitch at Adams Park before being helped to his feet by medical staff.

He is now following the Rugby Football Union/Premier Rugby “concussion management protocol,” before any decision is made on his fitness.

Jason Robinson has recovered from a neck problem that forced him out against Ireland, while Robinson’s Dublin replacement David Strettle is responding well after suffering a leg injury playing for Harlequins at Leicester.

Ashton is due to announce his starting line-up today, although the current injury situation suggests that could easily be delayed until later in the week.

France squad (v England).

Forwards: O. Milloud (Bourgoin), N. Mas (Perpignan), P. De Villiers (Stade Francais), R. Ibanez (Wasps, capt), S. Bruno (Sale), L. Nallet, P. Pape (both Castres), J. Thion, S. Betsen (both Biarritz), J. Bonnaire (Bourgoin), I. Harinordoquy (Biarritz), S. Chabal (Sale).

Backs: P. Mignoni (Clermont-Auvergne), D Yachvili (Biarritz), D. Skrela, L. Beauxis (both Stade Francais), Y. Jauzion (Toulouse), D. Marty (Perpignan), C. Heymans (Toulouse), C. Dominici (Stade Francais), V. Clerc, C. Poitrenaud (both Toulouse).

WALES (v. Italy, Rome): K Morgan (Dragons); M Jones, (Scarlets), T Shanklin (Cardiff), J Hook (Ospreys), S Williams (Ospreys); S Jones (Scarlets, captain), D Peel (Scarlets); G Jenkins (Cardiff), M Rees (Scarlets), C Horsman (Worcester), I Gough (Dragons), A-W Jones (Ospreys), A Popham (Scarlets), M Williams (Cardiff), R Jones (Ospreys).

Replacements: R Thomas (Cardiff), D Jones (Ospreys), A Jones (Ospreys), B Cockbain (Ospreys), J Thomas (Ospreys), M Phillips (Cardiff Blues), G Thomas (Toulouse).