The
latest France squad may have been something of a surprise
but the message put out by head coach Marc Lièvremont was
loud and clear - no-one is undroppable!
France
may have been the toast of European rugby as they swept to a
fully-deserved Grand Slam last season, but Lièvremont was
less impressed by his team's showing during their
disappointing summer tour (to South Africa and Argentina)
and has wielded the axe accordingly.
France drop Bastareaud
Thus, a
handful of players who previously seemed nailed on for their
2011 Rugby World Cup berths are now sweating on their
inclusion at all after Lièvremont issued a most public
rebuke.
Players
of the acknowledged international calibre such as Stade
Toulousain duo Clément Poitrenaud and Vincent Clerc, as well
as Stade Francais centre Mathieu Bastareaud have all been
told to stay with their clubs and rediscover the form and
(just as importantly) attitude that brought them recognition
in the first place.
Of all
the clubs to be hit by Lièvremont's revamped squad it
appears that players at Stade Toulousain have borne the
brunt of the coach's ire. Not only did he drop Poitrenaud
and Clerc, but there was no place either for David Skrela,
Louis Picamoles, Cedric Heymans, Jean-Baptiste Poux or
Florian Fritz.
Indeed,
such was the Toulousain cull the four-time European
champions now provide less players (five) for this squad
than current French champions Clermont Auvergne (six). That
is virtually unheard of in recent years, and prompted
veteran Toulouse coach Guy Noves to quip "We can't be very
good then" when questioned by reporters on Wednesday. "To
see Arias, Huget, Andreu, Palisson or Rougerie retained and
not them puts us behind, and one wonders why," added
Europe's most successful club coach.
French squad by clubs:
6 Clermont Auvergne: Domingo, Pierre,
Bonnaire, Lapandry, Parra, Rougerie
5 Stade Toulousain: Servat, Millo-Chluski,
Dusautoir (capt), Jauzion, Médard
5 Perpignan: Guirado, Schuster, Mas, Marty,
Porical
3 Stade Francais: Szarzewski, Papé, Arias
3 Biarritz: Harinordoquy, Yachvili, Traille
2 Racing-Métro 92: Nallet, Chabal,
2 Montpellier: Ouedraogo, Trinh-Duc
2 Brive: Estebanez, Palisson
2 Castres: Ducalcon, Andreu
1 Bayonne: Huget
It does
seem a strange thing to have done, but Lièvremont has never
been afraid to tinker with his squad, no matter what the
player or press reaction. The former France flanker clearly
felt that the forthcoming November internationals
represented the ideal opportunity to apply the carrot and
stick approach. The carrots have gone out to new faces Yoan
Huget, Jerome Schuster and Fabrice Estebanez, while recalled
players such as Julien Arias, Maxime Médard and Damien
Traille have also been welcomed back. The stick has most
firmly been applied to Poitrenaud, Clerc and Bastareaud.
"There
are players who have potential but we would hate to be
without [at the World Cup]," said Lièvremont. "In our view
they are not doing enough. They do not give themselves the
means to be performing daily," he further explained.
The
France coach was clearly stung by the team's lacklustre
summer performances and said the forthcoming games - against
Fiji, Argentina and Australia - would be used to "regain
confidence and momentum" that was lost after their
impressive Six Nations campaign.
He also admitted that the positions which are
most open to change at the moment, as indicated by his
latest squad selection, surround the two wingers and
full-back. Not only have Poitrenaud, Clerc and Julien
Malzieu been jettisoned - temporarily at least - but there
was also no place for the injured Racing youngster Benjamin
Fall.
But
Lièvremont's indecision appears to run along the entire back
line. Admittedly, Morgan Parra and Francois Trinh-Duc appear
to have cemented the starting half-back positions, but after
that it all seems to be up in the air. Dimitri Yachvili's
versatility sees him included as possible back-up for both
positions - at the continuing expense of Julien Dupuy -
while Damien Traille and Fabrice Estebanez are also
multi-positional and able to play in the centres or at No
10. Indeed, Traille has also played at full-back for France
in the past 12 months.
And who
are Lièvremont's preferred centres? Yannick Jauzion's skill
and experience virtually guarantees him one slot, but who
will get the other. Without Bastareaud or injured Perpignan
star Maxime Mermoz it would seem that David Marty, Traille,
Estebanez and even Aurélien Rougerie will come under
consideration to partner Jauzion.
Leading try and point-scorers in Top 14
The good
news for those who have been omitted or overlooked this time
around is that Lièvremont does appear to be the forgiving
sort. His treatment of Bastareaud last season bore that out
when he successfully recalled the 21-year-old to the Six
Nations squad and was rewarded with some standout
performances from William Gallas' cousin. Likewise he
appears to have been impressed by Médard's slimmed down
physique and more focused attitude this season, with the
Stade Toulousain winger/full-back now welcomed back into the
fold.
So
Poitrenaud and company need not take this omission as a
terminal sign regarding their World Cup inclusion, but
rather a rude wake-up call to get their game and heads back
in order. What it may also do, of course, is give the coach
increased options in the strong likelihood that at least
some of his first-choice XV will most likely pick up
injuries before the plane departs for New Zealand.
Bastareaud's omission may have been the greatest surprise
given his outstanding international form last season, but
the hulking centre got words of encouragement from his club
coach Michael Cheika following the squad's announcement.
"All players can improve," admitted Cheika in reference to
Lièvremont's decision. "If you speak to Mathieu he knows he
can improve. But he is a player with great talent. And to
leave a player like that out of teh squad is a risk. Mathieu
is a match-winner," added Cheika.
