France squad unchanged for Italy clash

France will go with an unchanged squad for their last match in the RBS 6 Nations Championship, against Italy in Rome on Saturday.

Head coach Marc Lievremont has decided to give the players who underperformed in yesterday’s 34-10 defeat England at Twickenham another chance to prove themselves.

The only injury doubt appears to be hooker Benjamin Kayser, who is struggling with a neck problem.

The Leicester front-row forward will undergo tests at France’s training base at Marcoussis today.

“We thought this squad could win at Twickenham and we still think they can win in Rome,” Lievremont said at a debriefing in London this morning.

France will name on Wednesday their starting XV for the Italy match.

France squad:

Backs: Julien Malzieu (Clermont-Auvergne), Damien Traille (Biarritz), Maxime Medard, Cedric Heymans (both Toulouse), Mathieu Bastareaud (Stade Francais), Florian Fritz, Yannick Jauzion (both Toulouse), Francois Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Morgan Parra (Bourgoin), Sebastien Tillous-Borde (Castres).

Forwards: Sebastien Chabal (Sale), Julien Bonnaire (Clermont-Auvergne), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz), Louis Picamoles (Montpellier), Lionel Nallet (Castres, capt), Jerome Thion (Biarritz), Benjamin Kayser (Leicester), Dimitri Szarzewski, Sylvain Marconnet (both Stade Francais), Thomas Domingo (Clermont-Auvergne), Fabien Barcella (Biarritz), Lionel Faure (Sale).