Revamped France to 'get physical'
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:49
France have revamped their side and tactics in a bid to match the physical Wallabies in the return Test in Brisbane on Saturday.
The French, who brought a depleted team to Australia with leading stars left behind for the domestic championship play-offs, have made seven changes after being out-muscled by the Wallabies 34-13 in last weekend's game in Sydney.
Among the players brought in by coach Marc Lievremont are Toulouse outside centre Maxime Mermoz and Albi loosehead prop Pierre Correia, who will be getting their first Test caps.
Meanwhile, Thibault Lacroix, David Janin, Sebastien Tillous-Borde, Matthieu Lievremont and Renaud Boyoud have all been promoted to the starting line-up after making their Test debuts from the bench last week.
Lievremont foreshadowed the problems his weakened team will confront when he said: "Physically speaking, the Australians will be improving while we will be declining.
"It seemed to me that we didn't do everything we set out to do. This time we will be more tactical. We will do the best we can to match the Wallabies."
The Tricolours took a physical battering against Australia in Sydney, with Agen fullback Pepito Elhorga suffering a dislocated shoulder in a brutal two-man tackle and Sale tighthead prop Lionel Faure twisting a knee.
Lievremont also sacked his most experienced tour member, Biarritz centre Damien Traille who has with 64 Test caps, after a lacklustre performance.
"In Sydney, the No.10-No.12-No.13 trio did not work very well," Lievremont said.
"It was not the best game Damien Traille played in his career and it quite destabilised François Trinh-Duc."
Lievremont has reacted by shifting Trinh-Duc from the centres to flyhalf to partner Castres scrumhalf Tillous-Borde.
"François made some better choices in the second half when he returned to flyhalf," Lievremont said.
Robbie Deans has also made changes to the Wallabies' lineup, giving Lachlan Turner his Test debut as a replacement for injured wing Lote Tuqiri and bringing in Stephen Hoiles for sidelined No.8 Wycliff Palu.
Phil Waugh swaps places with George Smith to openside flank, while Adam Ashley-Cooper takes over at fullback with Cameron Shepherd relegated to the bench.
Deans, who has won his two internationals as Australia's first foreign coach, said the unforced changes were made to give Waugh and Ashley-Cooper more game time.
Since Deans has taken over, the average age of the Australian Test backline has dropped to 24. The backline that played in the first World Cup game against Japan in Lyon last year had an average age of 29.
"They're going to rebound. That's the nature of the French," Deans said.
"They won't have enjoyed their first outing, and they will want to finish the season and finish the tour on a good note.
"So I'm expecting a pretty passionate effort and I think you got an insight in the latter parts of the game [last weekend] how they'll play it - they'll look to play."
France have not won in Australia since their 28-19 victory in Sydney in 1990 four tours ago.
AFP
