France stick with winning formula

France coach Marc Lievremont has stuck with the starting team that turned around their World Cup campaign with a rousing quarter-final defeat of England for their last four encounter against Wales at Eden Park on Saturday.

France beat the Six Nations champions 19-12 last Saturday after only qualifying for the knockout stage following unconvincing pool phase victories over Japan and Canada. “Once again, the same team that played Tonga and England,” said Lievremont. “I would not have hesitated to name a different team if I felt that would have been better. The danger is for the players to start thinking they are too good - we are Latin, so there is always a risk. The Anglo-Saxons are far more pragmatic. I hope the prospect of playing in the final is enough.”

Lievremont continues with the tactic of playing two scrumhalves, with Morgan Parra again slotting in at fly-half and Dimitri Yachvili taking the No 9 jersey, though the veteran will first rest a bruised thigh. “Yachvili is going to be rested in training until at least Thursday, but he will play,” Lievremont said, before adding that his side must adhere to what they do best to have any chance of winning. “We have to be capable of imposing our own style of rugby. Wales have been playing with great intelligence ... I have been impressed by their spirit and they have been playing world class rugby.”

Veteran No 8 Imanol Harinordoquy will again form a bruising loose forward combination with captain Thierry Dusautoir and Julien Bonnaire.

France: M Medard; V Clerc, A Rougerie, M Mermoz, A Palisson; M Parra, D Yachvili; J Poux, W Servat, N Mas, P Pape, L Nallet, T Dusautoir (capt), J Bonnaire, I Harinordoquy. Replacements: D Szarzewski, F Barcella, J Pierre, L Picamoles, F Trinh-Duc, D Marty, C Heymans.