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Rugby Union

France axe Sharks duo for Wales

19/02/2007

Sale Sharks pair Sebastien Chabal and Sebastien Bruno have been dropped from the 22-man France squad for the Six Nations match against Wales on Saturday.

The duo are two of five changes made by French coach Bernard Laporte for Wales' visit to Paris at the weekend – Pieter de Villiers, Pascal Pape and Cedric Heymans also miss out.

South African-born De Villiers is replaced among the front row options by Perpignan prop Nicolas Mas, Gregory Lamboley comes in for Pape in the list of second row forwards and winger Heymans loses out to the returning Aurelien Rougerie.

Number eight Chabal, who has been impressive in the opening two Six Nations matches for France, was injured in Sale's 26-18 defeat to Wasps on Sunday and his place is taken by Clermont-Ferrand back row Elvis Vermuelen.

Biarritz hooker Benoit August is preferred to Bruno in Laporte's 22 – the French coach will unveil his starting XV tomorrow, although widespread changes are not expected after the team worked hard in earning a last-gasp 20-17 win over Grand Slam rivals Ireland at Croke Park last time out.

France's 22-man squad in full:Forwards: Raphael Ibanez (Wasps, captain), Benoit August (Biarritz), Olivier Milloud (Bourgoin), Sylvain Marconnet (Stade Francais), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Lionel Nallet (Castres), Gregory Lamboley (Toulouse), Jerome Thion (Biarritz), Serge Betsen (Biarritz), Julien Bonnaire (Bourgoin), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz), Elvis Vermeulen (Clermont).
Backs: Pierre Mignoni (Clermont), Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz), David Skrela (Stade Francais), Lionel Beauxis (Stade Francais), Yannick Jauzion (Toulouse), David Marty (Perpignan), Aurelien Rougerie (Clermont), Christophe Dominici (Stade Francais), Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), Clement Poitrenaud (Toulouse).

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