French players 'starving' to play Ireland, says Philippe Saint-Andre
Brendan O’Brien
Philippe Saint-Andre has declared that his players are “starving” to play Sunday’s Pool D game against Ireland at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.
The French have been bullish about this game against their European rivals all week though the French coach insisted that “all the pressure is on Ireland” who are undefeated against ‘Les Bleus’ for the last four years.
With both sides unbeaten in their first three games and already though to the last eight of the World Cup, the Six Nations sides will face off in the Welsh capital with pride and the carrot of avoiding New Zealand in the quarter-finals both at stake.
The French boss seems to know what to expect as he spoke of Ireland’s kicking game and 'les Garryowens', though he agreed with the assessment of Gordon D’Arcy this week who stated that Joe Schmidt would have held back previously unseen plays specifically for this encounter.
Saint-Andre named his expected XV for the eagerly awaited tie, picking Racing Metro’s Brice Dulin, a full-back, on the wing and with Damien Chouly edging out Bernard Le Roux for the right to wear the number seven jersey.
Louis Picamoles, France’s form player this last two months, returns to number eight after being rested against Canada in Milton Keynes eight days ago and he will join Chouly and captain Thierry Dusatoir in a capable back row.
Pascal Pape and Yoann Maestri make up the second row. The front row of Eddy Ben Arous, Guilhem Guirado and Rabah Slimani is not the biggest in world rugby, but it is a serious unit, individually and collectively, and one with powerful backing off the bench.
Key to French hopes will be their veteran out-half Frederic Michalak, a talented though up-and-down player, but one whom his coach said is getting better with age, “like a good red wine”.
He is partnered at half-back by Sebastien Tillous-Borde.
The centre pairing of Wesley Fofana and Mathieu Bastareaud brings guile and power to the equation while Noa Nakataci offers pace and a finishing tough from the wing.
Scott Spedding adds physicality and offers an enormous boot for defensive and long-range goal-kicking duties.
Ireland name their team Friday lunchtime.
France: S Spedding; N Nakaitaci, M Bastareaud, W Fofana, B Dulin; F Michalak, S Tilllous-Borde; E Ben Arous, G Guilardo, R Slimani; P Pape, Y Maestri; T Dusatoir, D Chouly, L Picamoles.
Replacements: B Kayser, V Debaty, N Mas, A Flanquart, B Le Roux, M Parra, R Tales, A Dumoulin.
