Six Nations: France drop Galthie for Dublin clash

France are to drop Fabien Galthie for their Six Nations Championship match against Ireland at Lansdowne Road on Saturday after the Colomiers player was sin-binned last weekend. Galthie faces an automatic 10-day ban after picking up his second yellow card of the season in a melee during a club match against Montferrand.

The 31-year-old scrum-half has vowed to appeal against suspension at a French league disciplinary hearing tomorrow, but French Rugby Federation president Bernard Lapasset said Galthie would be dropped for the Dublin clash regardless of the outcome of the hearing.

"We want to set an example out of respect to the other teams in the Six Nations. I'm sure the decision we have taken today reinforces the role we have in the Six Nations," said Lapasset, who took the decision after consulting with France

coach Bernard Laporte yesterday. Galthie's axing leaves Christophe Laussucq of Stade Francais and Pau's Philippe Carbonneau vying for a place in this weekend's starting line-up.