Baby learning fast

France centre Benoit Baby insists he has learned his lesson from his four-week suspension.

Baby, who misses Les Bleus’ final RBS 6 Nations clash against Italy at Stadio Flaminio on Saturday, was dealt with by the Six Nations’ disciplinary commission today after he headbutted Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll in the 47th minute of their 26-19 victory in Dublin last weekend in a tryscoring debut.

The commission proved lenient and gave him a four-week suspension after Baby proved his gesture was not intentional and apologised to O’Driscoll.

“I knew that I was going to be banned and considering what I was facing, it is fair,” said 21-year-old Baby in L’Equipe on Thursday.

“I think I have learnt my lesson and I will not make such mistakes in the future.”

The suspension runs until April 14, ruling Baby out of Stade Toulousain’s Heineken Cup home quarter-final clash against Northampton on April 1.

France coach Bernard Laporte has replaced Baby with Perpignan’s David Marty who will make his international debut in Rome.

Damien Traille, who has recovered from an ankle injury, will be on the bench as France look for their fourth win of the tournament.

France have beaten Scotland, England and Ireland but failed to give a similar performance against Wales at the Stade de France on February 26.

For fly-half Yann Delaigue, who has been preferred to Frederic Michalak throughout the tournament, the priority is to keep improving.

“We have been vigilant since the start of the event so we must keep doing it,” he said.

“Against Wales we relaxed but not against Ireland – that’s where we made our most significant progress.

“I don’t think we will beat Italy by a huge score. We must be realistic and do what we have to do on Saturday.”