Six Nations: Laporte curses injuries litany

France coach Bernard Laporte has bemoaned the injury curse that has plagued his team after having to make four changes for Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Wales.

Hooker Yannick Bru became the latest player to withdraw from Les Bleus squad for Saturday’s game when he failed to shake off a thigh injury.

Bru joined scrum-half Fabien Galthie, number eight Elvis Vermeulen and Narbonne prop Jean-Baptiste Poux in missing out through injury.

They are also without Olivier Magne, who is serving a three-week suspension for stamping on an Italian player during their opening Six Nations game.

Raphael Ibanez is set to replace Bru, Pierre Mignoni will start at scrum half in place of Galthie, and Olivier Milloud will replace Poux.

Ibanez, who led France to the 1999 World Cup final, is also likely to take over as captain in the absence of Magne and Galthie.

Fly half Frederic Michalak is also doubtful with a shoulder injury and Alexandre Albouy is standing by to come into the squad.

Laporte said: ‘‘This is the third year in a row that we have been deprived of so many players during the Six Nations. There is something going wrong.’’

Squad: 15-Nicolas Brusque, 14-Aurelien Rougerie, 13-Tony Marsh, 12-Damien Traille, 11-Xavier Garbajosa; 10-Gerald Merceron; 9-Pierre Mignoni; 8-Steven Hall, 7-Imanol Harinordoquy, 6-Serge Betsen; 5-Olivier Brouzet, 4-Thibault Privat; 3-Pieter De Villiers, 2-Raphael Ibanez (capt), 1-Jean-Jacques Crenca.

Replacements: 16-Sebastien Bruno, 17-Olivier Milloud, 18-Fabien Pelous, 19-Alexandre Audebert, 20-Alexandre Albouy, 21-Francois Gelez, 22-Jimmy Marlu.