Harinordoquy returns for France

Imanol Harinordoquy has been named in the France team for the crucial RBS 6 Nations clash with England on Saturday.

The Pau number eight missed the 31-0 win against Scotland at the weekend with an elbow injury but was today named in the XV to play Sir Clive Woodward’s world champions.

France coach Bernard Laporte admitted: “Imanol is a very important element of our team.”

The last time the teams met was in the World Cup semi-finals when England ran out 24-7 winners but Laporte is eager to stress revenge will not be a motivating factor at the Stade de France.

“We don’t want revenge,” he said. “If we think about that then we think about the past when we actually want to turn to the future.

“This is, however, a very important game for us.”

England must beat France by a minimum of seven points to have any chance of retaining their Six Nations crown.

France, who are chasing the Grand Slam, will go in as favourites given that they have home advantage and have produced more consistent form than England have in this competition.

FRANCE: N Brusque (Biarritz), P Elhorga (Agen), Y Jauzion (Stade Toulouse), D Traille (Pau), C Dominici (Stade Francais), F Michalak (Stade Toulouse), D Yachvili (Biarritz), S Marconnet (Stade Francais), W Servat (Stade Toulouse), P De Villiers (Stade Francais), F Pelous (Stade Toulouse, captain), P Pape (Bourgoin), S Betsen (Biarritz), O Magne (Montferrand), I Harinordoquy (Pau),

Replacements: Y Bru (Stade Toulouse), J Crenca (Agen), D Auradou (Stade Francais), T Lievremont (Biarritz), P Mignoni (Montferrand), J Peyrelongue (Biarritz), C Poitrenaud (Stade Touluse).