Six Nations: Italy v France preview

Published on 02/02/2013 00:43

Flanker Thierry Dusautoir was recalled and Yoann Huget named at fullback by France coach Philippe Saint-Andre in his side to face Italy in their Six Nations opener tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Italy coach Jacques Brunel made three changes to his lineup from the 22-19 loss to Australia in November.

The 31-year-old Dusautoir won the last of his 54 caps against Wales in a 16-9 home win during last year’s tournament, where he was an ever-present, but then faced a long spell out following a serious knee injury and lost the captaincy to lock Pascal Pape. “He’s worked very hard to come back from his injury. He’s a great, tough, tackler. In a difficult context like Italy, because they are so strong in the pack, we will need to defend well,” Saint-Andre said.

Huget normally plays as a left winger, but Saint-Andre opted to switch him, picking Wesley Fofana and Benjamin Fall on the wings in an inexperienced backline, with prolific try-scorer Vincent Clerc sidelined with a thigh injury.

“Even though he plays on the wing for Toulouse, he has played full-back a few times before for them,” Saint-Andre said. The mercurial Frederic Michalak orchestrates France’s attacks from fly-half alongside scrum-half Maxime Machenaud, who wins his fifth cap. Brunel chose Luke McLean to replace the injured Mirco Bergamasco on the left wing; Tobias Botes in the No 9 jersey instead of Edoardo Gori, who starts on the bench; and Simone Favaro in for Robert Barbieri at openside flanker.

Italy beat France 22-21 at home in a shock upset two years ago, and Saint-Andre is expecting another tough test. “It’s going to be very intense,” he said.

Florian Fritz was preferred to Mathieu Bastareaud in the midfield alongside Maxime Mermoz. Scrum-half Morgan Parra and fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc –for many years France’s established halfback pairing under former coach Marc Lievremont – are both on the bench.

One blow for Saint-Andre was the absence of Clerc, who will have to wait a while before adding to his 34 international tries. Saint-Andre shifted Fofana from centre to take Clerc’s spot on the right wing, with the pacy Fall starting on the left flank for his fourth cap.

Italy

15 A Masi

14 G Venditti

13 T Benvenuti

12 A Sgarbi

11 L McLean

10 L Orquera

9 T Botes

1 A Lo Cicero

2 L Ghiraldini

3 M Castrogiovanni

4 Q Geldenhuys

5 F Minto

6 A Zanni

8 S Favaro

7 S Parisse (capt)

Subs

16 D Giazzon

17 A de Marchi

18 L Cittadini

19 A Pavanello

20 P Derbyshire

21 E Gori

22 K Burton

23 G Canale

France

15 Y Huget

14 W Fofana

13 F Fritz

12 M Mermoz

11 B Fall

10 F Michalak

9 M Machenaud

1 Y Forestier

2 D Szarzewski

3 N Mas

4 P Pape (capt)

5 Y Maestri

6 T Dusautoir

8 F Ouedraogo

7 L Picamoles.

Subs

16 B Kayser

17 V Debaty

18 L Ducalon

19 R Taofifenua

20 D Chouly

21 M Parra

22 F Trinh-Duc

23 M Bastareaud