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On top: Stade Toulousain flanker Thierry
Dusautoir has been named France's new captain
Photo: Michael Paler |
Stade
Toulousain flanker Thierry Dusautoir has been named
France's new captain, in preference to Racing-Metro 92's
Lionel Nallet.
Head
coach Marc Lièvremont made the announcement on Monday
following Dusautoir's impressive stint as stand-in during
France's summer tour to New Zealand and Australia.
Nallet
sat out both legs of the tour due to injury, and has now
paid the price after Dusautoir led 'Les Bleus' to a highly
creditable 1-1 series draw against the All Blacks.
"The
deciding factor was the rise of Thierry Dusautoir during the
past two years, which has been fairly consistent," said
Lièvremont.
The
27-year-old only made his international debut as recently as
2006, but has grown to be acknowledged as one of the best
flankers around.
"I feel
this is a key period, with a settled group that is working.
We're going to work step by step towards the World Cup and
Thierry has the stature to take the role," added Lièvremont.
The
coach insisted Nallet remains integral to France's plans but
the 33-year-old came in for widespread criticism last
season, when his individual performances were under close
scrutiny.
"It
wasn't an easy decision to take. Lionel never let us down in
this period of reconstruction with its highs and lows. He
held the bar up as a player, especially in his first year
when he was brilliant, but also as captain where he was
irreproachable," said Lièvremont.
High-flying Biarritz have confirmed the arrival of
two new players as they seek to strengthen their injury-hit
squad.
Former NRL star Karmichael Hunt,
22, has signed an eight-month contract that will
take him through to the end of the current season, before he
begins his AFL career back in Australia.
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Fixtures
South
African Jacobus Gerber Calldo, 28, has also signed as
the Basques sought cover for the injured trio of
Jean-Baptiste Gobelet, Alexandre Barozzi and Philippe
Bidabe.
Meanwhile, Brive's troubled start to
the season shows no signs of abating with off-field disquiet
now following their on-field problems.
According to La Montagne the club's directors have
asked honorary president Patrick Sebastian to resign
following outspoken comments to the media where he
threatened to leave unless given more say over team matters.
"Today there are too many people making decisions at Brive.
This club is a place for fools," he said in an interview
with Midi Olympique.
"I have
read, with all shareholders, statements by Patrick
Sebastian. We do not subscribe to any of his ideas and we
have therefore decided, together with the Derichebourg
group, to ask him to tender his resignation from his
position at the club," said current president Jean-Jacques
Bertrand.
It
follows Brive's 13-36 home defeat to Leinster in the
Heineken Cup - their second in two pool games - and their
stuttering league form, which has seen them slump from
first-day leaders to lowly 10th after nine rounds.
It also
comes after the club's previous owner, and main sponsor,
Daniel Derichebourg sold off his majority share of Brive to
a consortium of businessmen in the summer. At the time it
was rumoured that Derichebourg had taken that decision after
seeing the value of assets plummet during the current credit
crunch.
Stade
Toulousain flanker Yannick Nyanga is undergoing
MRI scans following a weekend injury he picked up against
Harlequins in the Heineken Cup. It is feared Nyanga may have
ruptured his patellar tendon.
In
ProD2, Colomiers have confirmed that former Italy and
Pau assistant Jean-Philippe Carlat will be their new head
coach.
