Laporte adds six to France squad
France head coach Bernard Laporte has named a 28-man squad for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash with Ireland in Paris.
Laporte has reacted to Sunday’s surprise 20-16 defeat to Scotland by adding six players – flankers Serge Betsen and Olivier Magne, hooker Raphael Ibanez, centre Damien Traille, winger Aurelien Rougerie and lock Pascal Pape – to his squad.
Traille will provide competition for a place in the centres, with Yannick Jauzion ruled out with a fractured toe.
The inclusion of Ibanez, who has been in impressive form for Wasps this season, means there are three hookers in the squad.
London Irish back-row forward Olivier Magne will be looking to add to his 83 caps for Les Bleus.
Laporte will name his team on Thursday.
France squad to play Ireland in RBS Six Nations Championship in Paris on February 11:
Backs: N Brusque (Biarritz), A Rougerie (Clermont Auvergne), C Dominici (Stade Francais), C Heymans (Toulouse), G Bousses (Bourgoin), L Valbon (Brive), F Fritz (Toulouse), D Traille (Biarritz), B Boyet (Bourgoin), F Michalak (Toulouse), D Yachvili (Biarritz), J-B Elissalde (Toulouse).
Forwards: S Marconnet (Stade Francais), P De Villiers (Stade Francais), O Milloud (Bourgoin), D Szarzewski (Stade Francais), S Bruno (Sale), R Ibanez (Wasps), P Pape (Bourgoin), J Thion (Biarritz), F Pelous (Toulouse), L Nallet (Castres), O Magne (London Irish), S Betsen (Biarritz), Y Nyanga (Toulouse), J Bonnaire (Bourgoin), R Martin (Stade Francais), T Lievremont (Biarritz).
