France
head coach Marc Lièvremont has recalled Stade Francais
centre Mathieu Bastareaud for his 30-strong Six Nations
squad.
The
21-year-old is welcomed back into the French fold less than
seven months after causing an international incident by
lying about being mugged while on 'Les Bleus' summer tour to
New Zealand.
But
Lièvremont obviously feels that Bastareaud - cousin of
Arsenal footballer William Gallas - has now served his
penance. The player has completed a community sentence
imposed by the FFR, and was also overlooked for the Autumn
internationals, but his excellent club form this season
appears to indicate that his summer traumas - when he
apparently attempted suicide after being hounded by the
media - have also been overcome.
"The
unfortunate Bastareaud episode of the summer is closed for
us now," confirmed Lièvremont. "Mathieu Bastareaud's return
is justified by his club performances and the fact he has
started his community service work."
Bastareaud has also completed his three-month international
suspension - handed down by the FFR -paving the way for his
recall. "We have followed his actions and we have talked to
him," said Lièvremont. "I think that he will feel a bit of
pressure fitting back into the CNR [France's training centre
on the outskirts of Paris]. It will be up to us to help
him," added the coach.
Bastareaud's inclusion is the most eye-catching name among
France's squad, although another shock is the absence of
Stade Toulousain's highly talented Maxime Médard. Club
colleague Cedric Heymans has also been overlooked, together
with Stade Francais' Lionel Beauxis, while Lièvremont has
called up Brive's Fabrice Estebanez for the first time.
Estebanez began the season as full-back for his club but has
been in sparkling form as Brive's No 10 in recent weeks
following Andy Goode's injury-enforced lay-off. He could
play at either fly-half or full-back for France, giving
Lièvremont valuable versatility as he continues to tweak his
squad in the run-up to next year's World Cup. "He has huge
potential but we won't be doing him any favours by giving
him a debut at 10," said Lièvremont.
Montpellier's Francois Trinh-Duc remains his first choice
fly-half, with Bourgoin's Benjamin Boyet also included in
the squad - more than 18 months after the last of his five
previous caps. Fit again Stade Toulousain star Clement
Poitrenaud has also been recalled, paving the way for club
colleague Médard to be dropped. Lièvremont appears
unconvinced both of Médard's best position - full-back or
winger - and his ability under the high ball, as he
confirmed during the Autumn internationals by selecting
Biarritz's Damien Traille at 15 against South Africa.
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Traille is injured currently, along with club
team-mate Dimitri Yachvili, and with fellow scrum-half
Julien Dupuy sidelined by suspension Lièvremont has turned
to Stade Toulousain's Jean-Baptiste Elissalde - another
player recalled after a lengthy absence. Elissalde regularly
plays at both scrum-half and fly-half for Toulouse, again
giving Lièvremont versatility. Two more familiar names have
also been brought back into the fold, with Clermont Auvergne
duo Aurélien Rougerie and Julien Malzieu both named on the
back of excellent club form in Top 14 this season.
Rougerie, 29, hasn't played for France for nearly two years
since winning his 55th cap (against Italy in March 2008).
Brive's
Alexis Palisson is another player called up on the back of
good recent form, with the 22-year-old full-back joining
club colleague Estebanez in the squad after helping the
Limousin club overcome a poor first-half to the season.
Other
players to miss out include Stade Toulousain's Yann David
and Florian Fritz, while Perpignan's Guilhem Guirado is also
a surprise omission.
Lièvremont admitted the selection meeting had been "quite
animated", with a lack of consensus on the final 30. "We
didn't all agree on the cohesion and current form," he
added.
France squad:
Forwards: Thomas Domingo (Clermont Auvergne), Luc
Ducalcon (Castres), Sylvain Marconnet (Stade Francais),
Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), William Servat (Stade Toulousain),
Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Francais), Sébastien Chabal
(Racing-Métro 92), Romain Millo-Chluski (Stade Toulousain),
Lionel Nallet (Racing-Métro 92), Pascal Papé (Stade
Francais), Julien Bonnaire (Clermont Auvergne), Thierry
Dusautoir (Stade Toulousain, Capt), Imanol Harinordoquy
(Biarritz), Alexandre Lapandry (Clermont Auvergne), Fulgence
Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Louis Picamoles (Stade Toulousain).
Backs: Jean-Baptiste Elissalde (Stade Toulousain),
Morgan Parra (Clermont Auvergne), Benjamin Boyet (Bourgoin),
Francois Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Mathieu Bastareaud (Stade
Francais), Fabrice Estebanez (Brive), David Marty
(Perpignan), Yannick Jauzion (Stade Toulousain), Vincent
Clerc (Stade Toulousain), Benjamin Fall (Bayonne), Julien
Malzieu (Clermont Auvergne), Aurélien Rougerie (Clermont
Auvergne), Alexis Palisson (Brive), Clément Poitrenaud
(Stade Toulousain).
