Injection is enough for French stand-off to play

Published on Friday 5 February 2010 22:41

FRANCOIS Trinh-Duc can play in France's Six Nations opener in Scotland tomorrow at Murrayfield after having a painkilling injection in his shoulder.

"I'm feeling better. I had an injection in the shoulder and everything should be all right on Sunday," the 23-year-old Montpellier stand-off said at the French training camp in Marcoussis.

"My shoulder doesn't hurt any more and I didn't feel apprehensive in training."

Trinh-Duc, who sustained the injury in a French championship game last week, has been first-choice No10 since coach Marc Lievremont was appointed two years ago.

Meanwhile, France centre Yannick Jauzion insists Les Bleus cannot afford to make the same mistakes as they did in Paris last year, when Scotland – then coached by Frank Hadden – briefly threatened an upset in Paris and rattled the home team with a try from Thom Evans.

Lievremont's men recorded an unconvincing 22-13 win in an error-strewn game, and Jauzion knows it will be a different story at Murrayfield. He has implored his team-mates not to let their guard down for any reason and urged them to wary of a Scotland team desperate to hit the ground running in Andy Robinson's first Six Nations match in charge.

"Despite our victory, they put us in difficulty quite a few times," he said. "Maybe we weren't serious enough and coherent in defence. We let them get forward too many times. We managed to put right their attacks more often than not but we will not be able to repeat that sort of recovery in Scotland."

Jauzion and his controversial partner, Mathieu Bastareaud, will find themselves up against Max Evans and Graeme Morrison tomorrow.

And the Toulouse man hopes his understanding with Bastareaud can help them combat the formidable Glasgow Warriors duo.

"I have already played with Mathieu, against Wales and England last year," said Jauzion. "It's above all down to our communication, that's key for our post in letting us get forward.

"It's normal that he'll get his bearings from me, he depends on my runs in organising the play. Last year we played well together.

"We played against the two Glasgow centres last year. Evans has great qualities with his explosive power and his outflanking. Morrison is more physical, capable of handling the ball for Scotland.

"They are not easy to defend against taking into account their complementary style of play and their capacity to play in the defence.

"Like the All Blacks, they initiate moves by having very close support of ball carriers."

France's preparations for the game have been hampered by a series of injury problems.

Already without Biarritz trio Fabien Barcella, Damien Traille and Dimitri Yachvili, now Sebastien Chabal, Romain Millo-Chluski and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde have all been forced to pull out of the opener.

But Jauzion believes they have every chance of repeating their success of three years ago and lifting the trophy.

"Our team is complete," he said. "It's up to us to be aware of that. We really have a team to have great games.

"But above all we have to give ourselves the means to fulfil our aims by our work-ethic and ambition on the pitch."

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