Skrela out of tournament

France coach Marc Lievremont surprisingly overlooked the experience of Frederic Michalak and called up untested utility half Jean-Marc Doussain to replace the injured David Skrela at the Rugby World Cup.

Skrela was ruled out of the tournament yesterday and will be sidelined for several weeks after injuring his shoulder in the team’s opening match against Japan last week.

Lievremont left out two-time World Cup player Michalak, who has 54 caps, in favour of 20-year-old Doussain, who only signed his first professional contract last May with Toulouse.

Doussain will arrive next Tuesday, and is unlikely to be in the squad to face New Zealand four days later.

Another injury to one of his halves would seriously hamper France. Lievremont has only one specialist fly-half left in Francois Trinh-Duc – and he starts against Canada.