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France put faith in young guns
07/03/2008 09:48 - (SA)
Paris - France coach Marc Lievremont's faith in youth will be tested again against Italy on Sunday after he handed the vital backrow positions to three players with just five caps to their names.
While on paper, and form, there should be no problem for the French, Lievremont has effectively handed responsibility for keeping France's hopes of retaining the Six Nations title alive to the trio.
Burkina Faso-born Fulgence Ouedraogo is the most experienced player of the backrow with just three caps having been chosen over the vastly-experienced Julien Bonnaire while Ibrahim Diarra, from the unfashionable club of Montauban, earns his first cap.
This selection should give the Italian backrow, led by Stade Francais star Sergio Parisse, some encouragement. Indeed, Parisse was man of the match in the 16-11 defeat by Ireland in Dublin.
However, Lievremont is adamant that he has chosen the backrow on form in an area where they have been stronger than the front five, who have been pushed around in all three matches they have played so far including the 24-13 defeat by England a fortnight ago.
"We decided immediately that Diarra would be starting," said 39-year-old Lievremont.
Selection policy
"And from that starting point we thought that Fulgence and Louis Picamoles would be his ideal partners."
Lievremont insisted his selection policy was not just about dealing a pack of cards and seeing whose name was on the first card.
"We have always fielded competitive teams this season and the players who are the best in their position," said the coach who has been accused by some of treating the tournament with disrespect with his awards of new caps.
One area, though, where the French are aiming to become a little more pragmatic - a word Lievremont admiringly used of England's performance against his team - is in when to run the ball and when to kick.
Against England there were gasps of disbelief as the French tried to run it from anywhere including behind their own tryline, which showed a return to the style of French teams of old but showed remarkable naivety against a battle-hardened unit such as the English.
"It's imperative we know when to relieve the pressure by kicking instead of trying to run ourselves out of trouble by passing the ball," admitted French skipper Lionel Nallet.
'Very difficult team'
Italy handler Nick Mallett returns to the Stade de France for the first time as a coach since his then side Stade Francais lost in the 2005 French Championship final.
"France are a very difficult team for Italy to play against. France have a big squad and the ability to make big changes," said the 51-year-old England-born coach, who guided South Africa to the 1999 World Cup semi-finals.
"We have a far smaller squad and less opportunity to make changes."
However, Mallett is at least expecting an improvement on the performance against Wales where they turned around at the break still in touch at 13-8 but conceded 35 unanswered points after the restart.
"In the first half we had the best of the play which almost led to (Gonzalo) Canale scoring a try," said Mallett.
"In the second half with the first piece of action we gave them an interception try and then two minutes later Mirco (Bergamasco) got a yellow card and then not long after that (Andrea) Masi went off injured and we missed his solid defence.
- AFP
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