France intend to flaunt traditional rugby flair
by Agency Staff,
2016-02-26 05:00:00.0
LONDON — France coach Guy Noves has made five changes to his starting line-up to face Wales in Cardiff on Friday night.
Maxime Machenaud returns at scrumhalf and wing Djibril Camara makes his debut in a change forced by injury to Teddy Thomas.
There are changes in each row of the French scrum following their 10-9 win over Ireland in the Six Nations.
Rabah Slimani comes in at prop, Paul Jedrasiak takes over at lock and Antoine Burban is on the flank.
Scrumhalf Sebastien Bezy, prop Uini Atonio and lock Yoann Maestri drop to the bench, while back-rower Yacouba Camara is a travelling reserve.
Flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc is part of the squad for the first time under Noves, while centre Gael Fickou is alongside him on the bench after missing the Ireland game for personal reasons.
Wales and France are unbeaten going into Friday’s match.
Noves wants his side to satisfy those observers who wish to witness traditional French flair.
He said: "I don’t believe in winning ‘at any cost’. We must adapt, but we must keep a certain level of French flair. For the future of rugby."
Home coach Warren Gatland hopes that will translate into an attacking approach that Wales would relish.
Gatland’s side last lost to France in the 2011 World Cup semifinals and he said: "Everyone asks where has the French flair gone … The reason there’s not so much French flair anymore isn’t that they haven’t got the players, it’s just teams, defensively, are so organised. There’s no space on the field.
"You come up against an organised defence on the field and people who are as conditioned and fit as you are, you’ve got an ability to shut teams down and that’s what’s happened to the game.
"In the past, they’ve gone out with the attitude of saying ‘jouez, jouez, let’s play’ and for teams like us, that’s just happy days — we love that kind of thing, it’s so easy to shut down."
Reuters
France:
INBOUND: France’s Rabah Slimani, due to start at prop in the Six Nations game against Wales in Cardiff Friday night, heads for the tryline in last year’s World Cup match against Italy. Picture: REUTERS
Photograph by: INBOUND: France’s Rabah Slimani, due to start at prop in the Six Nations game against Wales in Cardiff Friday night, heads for the tryline in last year’s World Cup match against Italy. Picture: REUTERS
LONDON — France coach Guy Noves has made five changes to his starting line-up to face Wales in Cardiff on Friday night.
Maxime Machenaud returns at scrumhalf and wing Djibril Camara makes his debut in a change forced by injury to Teddy Thomas.
There are changes in each row of the French scrum following their 10-9 win over Ireland in the Six Nations.
Rabah Slimani comes in at prop, Paul Jedrasiak takes over at lock and Antoine Burban is on the flank.
Scrumhalf Sebastien Bezy, prop Uini Atonio and lock Yoann Maestri drop to the bench, while back-rower Yacouba Camara is a travelling reserve.
Flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc is part of the squad for the first time under Noves, while centre Gael Fickou is alongside him on the bench after missing the Ireland game for personal reasons.
Wales and France are unbeaten going into Friday’s match.
Noves wants his side to satisfy those observers who wish to witness traditional French flair.
He said: "I don’t believe in winning ‘at any cost’. We must adapt, but we must keep a certain level of French flair. For the future of rugby."
Home coach Warren Gatland hopes that will translate into an attacking approach that Wales would relish.
Gatland’s side last lost to France in the 2011 World Cup semifinals and he said: "Everyone asks where has the French flair gone … The reason there’s not so much French flair anymore isn’t that they haven’t got the players, it’s just teams, defensively, are so organised. There’s no space on the field.
"You come up against an organised defence on the field and people who are as conditioned and fit as you are, you’ve got an ability to shut teams down and that’s what’s happened to the game.
"In the past, they’ve gone out with the attitude of saying ‘jouez, jouez, let’s play’ and for teams like us, that’s just happy days — we love that kind of thing, it’s so easy to shut down."
Reuters
France:
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