Politics not an issue as French drop Sebastien Chabal

Sebastien Chabal was left out of France's provisional World Cup squad for sporting rather than political reasons, according to national team boss Marc Lievremont.

The 33-year-old No?8 has been omitted from the 32-man group under consideration for the tournament in New Zealand in September, along with the Toulouse duo of Yannick Jauzion and Clement Poitrenaud.

Lievremont, who has drafted in uncapped Biarritz forward Raphael Lakafia and also Louis Picamoles of Toulouse in Chabal's position, insists the veteran's exclusion has nothing to do with his ongoing disciplinary case with the Ligue Nationale de Rugby. Chabal could face sanctions from the LNR over comments made in an interview promoting his autobiography that referees in the French Top 14 were biased in favour of Castres and Biarritz, having already served a two-week suspension from his club Racing Metro for the remarks.

"I assured Sebastien that he had been judged in terms of sport and that the controversy had nothing to do with my choice. Last year I saw Raphael Lakafia progress and Louis Picamoles has great potential," said Lievremont. "The choice was not easy as Sebastien Chabal is important in the group. But I chose to focus on younger players to keep progressing."

Jauzion and Poitrenaud were also excluded from Lievremont's squad.

Chabal and Jauzion were two of the six players dropped by Lievremont following the shock defeat to Italy in the RBS Six Nations earlier this year. The coach accused his players of "cowardice" in the wake of the Rome upset. Two more of the players dropped - Sylvain Marconnet and Aurelien Rougerie - have been included in the provisional squad, which must be trimmed to the final 30 by 22 August.

PROVISIONAL FRANCE SQUAD

Forwards: F Barcella (Biarritz); T Domingo (C Auvergne), L Ducalcon (Castres), N Mas (Perpignan), S Marconnet (S Francais), J-B Poux (Toulouse), W Servat (Toulouse), D Szarzewski (S Francais), L Nallet (Racing Metro), J Pierre (C Auvergne), R Millo-Chluski (Toulouse), P Pape (S Francais), J Bonnaire (C Auvergne), T Dusautoir (Toulouse, capt), I Harinordoquy (Biarritz), R Lakafia (Biarritz), F Ouedraogo (Montpellier), L Picamoles (Toulouse).

Backs: M Parra (C Auvergne), D Yachvili (Biarritz), F Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), D Skrela (Toulouse), F Estebanez (Brive), D Marty (Perpignan), M Mermoz (Perpignan), A Rougerie (C Auvergne), D Traille (Biarritz), V Clerc (Toulouse), C Heymans (Toulouse), Y Huget (Bayonne), M Medard (Toulouse), A Palisson (Brive).