Medard absence forces rethink

France coach Philippe Saint-André has confirmed full-back Maxime Medard will miss the RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland on Sunday with a knee injury.

Medard won his 30th cap in the 23-17 victory over Scotland on Sunday, scoring his 10th international try in the process, but hobbled off in the second half.

Medard’s Toulouse team-mate Clement Poitrenaud, who won the last of his 44 caps in last year’s Six Nations defeat by England at Twickenham, has been drafted in.