Laporte drops 12 for Namibia game

FRENCH rugby coach Bernard Laporte has dropped 12 players from the side which lost to Argentina in the World Cup opener for his side’s next game against Namibia.

But he was adamant that those losing out are not being punished.

“No, these are our players, we love them,” said Laporte yesterday at the team announcement in Marcoussis. “We’re not at school – we’re in this together. We’ve spoken clearly to each other, I haven’t said to those who played badly, ‘bravo, carry on like that’.”

Only three players — wing Cedric Heymans, centre Damien Traille and prop Pieter De Villiers – who played last Friday night will be on the field Sunday evening in Toulouse, but Laporte was at pains to point out yesterday that this shouldn’t be seen as a loss of faith as much as evidence of his rotation policy.

“We’ve said from the start that we have a squad of 30, that we must have rotation,” Laporte said. “Those who didn’t play in the first game wouldn’t understand if I said ‘you’ve been good for the last two months, but you’re not going to play all the same’. I wouldn’t understand that if I was in their place.”

Whether the French coach doth protest too much about his rotation policy, there is a certain logic to some of his selections. Eight players from Toulouse will take the field against Namibia, and given a certain amount of grumbling from the southwestern city about the number of games it’s been allotted, the team Laporte has picked is sure to be supported loudly.

“Yes, the game is in Toulouse and the context counts,” said Laporte. “The Toulousains are very proud and will be in a favourable environment.”

France are certainly in the market for a “favourable environment”. Ever since it was revealed that the players heard a reading from the “Guy Moquet letter” (the last missive from a French war hero) before the Argentina game, debate has swung back and forth as to whether it was appropriate to use the letter for that purpose.

To a certain extent last night’s big football game — the European Championships qualifier between France and Scotland in the Stade de France — has taken the heat off the rugby side this week, but the focus will be on the oval ball from today on again, with a huge improvement demanded by the French public.

The combination of Frederic Michalak and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde may be a step in the right direction. The two players are paired at half-back, a move seen in France as sign-posting a more open style than was evident against Argentina. Elissalde was looking forward to the game yesterday – and to captaining his country in his home town.

“There’ll be a lot of emotion concentrated on the field, and it’s up to us to show that our morale is solid enough to take us through the competition. As captain for the match, if I have something to say it will concern what is happening on the field. Hopefully, all 22 players will be needed in the game.

“I hope it (playing in Toulouse) will be an advantage and will add a little extra pressure. We will be delighted to be closer to our families and friends. It will be up to us to produce a good performance on the field. The defeat left marks and scars which will stay for a little while.”

David Marty, who comes in at centre, showed that the game against Ireland tomorrow week isn’t far from French minds: “We have to show by our actions what we are capable of. Rather than explain things, we need to demonstrate what we can do. We have a very homogenous group and we are going to try and prove that on Sunday, then we can carry on against Ireland.

“We are looking for a good result against Ireland, but first we have to achieve an impressive performance against Namibia. I am delighted to be on the list. We have got to bounce back .”

Sébastien Chabal comes in at lock (“He can do different things to Jerome (Thion) and Fabien (Pelous),” said Laporte). The bearded forward, who has become something of a cult figure, in France, got a rousing reception when introduced in the second half of the Argentina game and sounded a positive note yesterday.

“Nothing is lost,” said Chabal. “We need to pick up five points in the next match then we can qualify. There are still a few days to get things right. The atmosphere is very positive and we are giving a lot. It is up to us to get back to basics, the team has to find its natural game again. All 30 of us are on the same level. We can now stand back a little and clear out our anger. I was ashamed about our collective performance (against Argentina).”

FRANCE: C Poitrenaud; V Clerc, D Marty, D Traille, C Heymans; F Michalak, J-B Elissalde; J-B Poux, D Szarzewski, P De Villiers, S Chabal, L Nallet, Y Nyanga, T Dusautoir, J Bonnaire.

Replacements: R Ibanez, N Mas, F Pelous, I Harinordoquy, L Beauxis, Y Jauzion, A Rougerie.