France inspired by Welsh style

FRANCE are taking inspiration from Wales’ attacking model as they attempt to settle on their own style for the RBS 6 Nations Championship, according to Les Bleus winger Cedric Heymans.

Heymans, who has been recalled to France’s team for today’s match against Scotland in Paris after being a replacement in last weekend’s defeat to Ireland, admires the Welsh style encouraged by new head coach Warren Gatland.

“I find the Welsh game clean and direct,” said the Toulouse flyer.

“Everything happens quickly, their attacks are direct and they aren’t far from the best form at the moment.

“It is therefore interesting to watch what they are doing. Not necessarily to copy, but to take inspiration from.”

Heymans will be one of four Toulouse players behind the French scrum this weekend. It would have been five, from 11 to 15, had centre Florian Fritz not been banned on Wednesday for three weeks for punching during the Ireland defeat.

There should therefore be some harmony out wide for Les Bleus at the Stade de France, and a lot of their attacks may centre around the soft hands and intelligent thinking of talented midfielder Yannick Jauzion.

However, Heymans is adamant France need to vary their moves out wide if they are to destabilise the Scots.

“Yannick is an extraordinary player who has the capacity to direct the play behind him,” said Heymans, who replaces Clermont-Auvergne winger Julien Malzieu.

“But if we always use him in the same role as chief orchestrator.”

France were always chasing the game against Ireland and their players have admitted this week that maybe they were too adventurous at Croke Park.

“Patience must become one of our qualities,” Heymans said.

With a defeat already under the belt, the heat has been turned up on Lievremont, who has lost six of his 11 games in charge since taking over as head coach in October 2007.

However, scrum-half Sebastien Tillous-Borde said: “I don’t think there is any extra pressure because we are not thinking about what will happen if we lose.

“We have to win and we will do everything we can in order for that to happen.”

Scotland backs coach Gregor Townsend is optimistic the attacking instincts of the Evans brothers can help produce Scottish rugby’s third victory in France this season.

The Glasgow pair, centre Max and winger Thom, have been brought into the side for tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations clash less than a month after helping their club side beat Heineken Cup favourites Toulouse 33-26.

Their introduction has taken the Glasgow contingent to seven, and they will come up against six Toulouse players at the Stade de France.

“This year a Scottish side won in France in the Heineken Cup for the first time, Edinburgh first and then Glasgow,” Townsend said.

“Those players know what it’s like to win in France and they know what is necessary to win in France.

“You must attack the French, you have got to move them about, you have got to play rugby and be ambitious.

“Glasgow were certainly ambitious against Toulouse and it paid off because they were very accurate. Players like Max and Thom really had great games.

“They know that’s what they have to take in tomorrow.”

Scotland trained at the Stade de France yesterday with Moray Low joining in most of the session.

The uncapped Glasgow prop had not travelled with the rest of the squad after picking up a stomach bug, but he will be fit to make the bench.