FRANCE v IRELAND Saturday 7 February 2009 Croke Park, Dublin Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales) Touch judges: 1 Dave Pearson (England), 2 David Changleng (Scotland) TMO: Giulio de Santis (Italy) The team for the final Autumn series test against Australia on 22 November 2008 at the Stade de France was: 15-Medard 14-Malzieu 13-Jauzion 12-Baby 11-Heymans 10-Skrela 9-Tillous-Borde 8-Harinordoquy 7-Ouedraogo 6- Dusautoir 5-Nallet 4-Chabal 3-Mas 2-Szarzewski 1-Faure Subs used: Traille, Millo-Chluski, Kayser, Lecouls, Picamoles, Palisson, Tomas T: Penalty try C: Skrela PG: Skrela DG: Medard TEAM v Ireland France recall Clement Poitrenaud at full back, centre Florian Fritz and fly half Lionel Beauxis for the first time for two years in the starting XV to play Ireland. Beauxis, the only fly half in the 22, forms a half back partnership with Six Nations newcomer Sebastien Tillous-Borde The Sale Sharks forwards Lionel Faure and Sebastien Chabal also start the match, and the side is again captained by Lionel Nallet 15 Clement Poitrenaud (Stade Toulousain) 25.05.82 1.88m 92kgs 33 rd cap 6T = 30pts Debut: 2001v S Africa 3 rd test v Ireland no pts Back after last playing and scoring try in RWC2007 third place loss to Argentina, this is his first cap under Marc Lievremont, and missed the last 10 tests. Won 2008 Championship medal with club 4 games at RWC2007 tries v Georgia and Argentina Recalled for 2007 Six Nations after winning 20 caps from 2001 to 2004, he only played one test v Romania in 2006 in 3 years before being recalled for 2007 Six Nations and subsequently went on to RWC2007. Played for France at U18 and U19 levels, and has been with Toulouse first team squad since 2000, winning Championship medal and being capped in first season Heineken Cup winners medal 2003, but had a gaffe at the end of the 2004 final that handed the Cup to Wasps. But won 2005 Heineken Cup medal to make amends Scored 3T in his first 5 tests 04.02.09 1 of 9
14 Julien Malzieu (ASM Clermont Auvergne) 04.05.83 1.93m 95kgs 7 th cap 1T = 5pts Debut: 2008 v Scotland Try on test debut v Scotland 2008, but missed Ireland and England matches with torn thigh muscle injury, returned v Italy. Then played all 3 Autumn series tests in November 2008 Played well in the club team that reached the French Championship finals in 2007 and 2008 Has always been with Clermont, he played for France at U19 level, and his club won the French youth title Is from the French Sevens squad, and shares wing duties at Clermont with Aurelien Rougerie Fine game in 2007 European Challenge Cup win v Bath and just passed 70 first team games 13 Yannick Jauzion (Stade Toulousain) 28.07.78 1.92m 105kgs 56 th cap - 17T 1DG = 88pts Debut: 2001 v S Africa 6 th test v Ireland 1T = 5pts (in 2004) Only played v Italy and Wales in 2008 Six Nations after hand injury, missed summer tour due to club commitments (won 2008 Championship) and played all 3 Autumn series tests in November 2008 2005 French Player of the Year, has had niggling injury problems since RWC2003 one of the stars of the French side, he played 4 games and scored 3T in the opener v Fiji. First Six Nations season was in 2004 Grand Slam XV. Missed 2006 RBS 6 Nations through injury but added 2007 RBS 6 Nations medal to the haul. Heineken Cup win in 2003 in first season with Toulouse played originally for Colomiers, who are in the Toulouse suburbs, from 2000-02 12 Florian Fritz (Stade Toulousain) 17.01.84 1.78m 96kgs 14 th cap 3T 2DG = 21pts Debut: 2005 v South Africa Was a doubt after a thigh injury suffered in the 3-3 draw between Bath and Toulouse in Heineken Cup on 25.01.09 Recalled for first time in 26 tests he last played for France v Italy in the opening 2007 Six Nations match. Had played 9 of 10 tests for France in 2006 Test debut on 2005 summer tour, he replaced then club mate Benoit Baby, and French Young Player of the Year 2005 Came through with the club team that won the 2005 Heineken Cup. Joined Toulouse in summer 2004 from Bourgoin, and won Heineken Cup in first season, and recovered fine form in 2008 Championship win Monitored through the France U21 and A system 04.02.09 2 of 9
11 Maxime Medard (Stade Toulousain) 16.11.86 1.80m 88kgs 4 th cap 1T 1DG = 8pts Debut: 2008 v Argentina Came into the team at full back for the 3 Autumn Series tests with debut against Argentina, try v Pacific Islanders and drop goal v Australia Helped Toulouse win the 2008 Championship with 14T, second on the Championship scoring lists Is from the Toulouse academy, joined in 2004, and was in the French team under Lievremont that won the IRB World Junior Cup in 2006 Has come through at Toulouse after injuries to Vincent Clerc, Yannick Jazion and Clement Poitrenaud and won 2008 Championship medal 10 Lionel Beauxis (Stade Francais) 24.10.85 1.80m 86kgs 13 th cap 1T 16C 14PG = 79pts Debut: 2007 v Italy 3 rd test v Ireland 1C = 2pts The one accredited fly half in the original 2009 Six Nations squad, and like Poitrenaud was discarded after RWC2007 third place match, and has also missed 10 tests. First 12 caps in calendar year of 2007 IRB Young Player of Year for 2006 Is from the French team who won the 2006 World U21 championship beating South Africa 24-13 in the final, and he scored all 24pts (6P 2D) to win Man of Match award in final Moved in summer 2006 from Division 2 club Pau to Paris, and in first season with Stade Francais, where he teamed up with David Skrela, he won a 2006-07 Championship medal. Skrela has now left for Toulouse, and his main opposition is from the Puma Juan-Martin Hernandez, also a full back Also played for France at U18 and U19 levels, and was in the Pau first XV aged 18 9 Sebastien Tillous-Borde (Castres Olympique) 29.04.85 1.76m 93kgs 5 th cap 1T = 5pts Debut: 2008 v Australia Benefitted from absences on the 2008 summer tour to Australia to win first caps, and retained place preferred to Jean-Baptiste Elissalde as the coach opts to give young players game time Was Beauxis partner in the team that won the IRB World U21 Cup in 2006 First test try v Pacific Islanders in November 2008 2 nd season in Castres 1st XV 04.02.09 3 of 9
8 Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz Olympique) 20.02.80 1.92m 105kgs 52 nd cap 10T = 50pts Debut: 2002 v Wales 6 th test v Ireland 1T = 5pts (RWC2007) Missed 2008 Six Nations, but back for summer tour and autumn series and recovered from knee injury suffered in December 2008 Only played 3 of 22 tests in 2005 and 2006 after injuries Grand Slam XV 2002 (4 games and try v England in 20-15 win) and 2004 (4T in 4 games was equal top try scorer in tournament). Added 2007 Six Nations medal Has retained Basque christian name and named after a famous Basque writer and story-teller. Played for France A v Italy A in 2002 in first match of series, then went into full squad and came in for suspended Olivier Magne against Wales and initially held place RWC2003 4 games and 3T (1T v Fiji, Scotland and Ireland in his first 3 games of event). 5 games at RWC2007 Played tests in all 3 back row positions. Is the former French national U21 captain. Moved to Biarritz from Pau in summer 2004, and won 2005 and 2006 French championship medals, and has returned to form. 7 Fulgence Ouedraogo (RC Montpellier-Herault) 21.07.86 1.90m 94kgs 12 th cap no pts Debut: 2007 v NZ 11 th consecutive test (9 th start) Born at Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and moved to France aged 3 though often returns as family have contacts. Bill McLaren they ll be dancing in the streets of Ouadagougou when he scores. Debut on NZ tour in summer 2007 when the top 4 clubs could not send players on tour as they were involved in the Championship semis Sub in 2 nd test v NZ (10-61) for first cap, then started v Scotland in 2008 RBS 6 Nations opener and been in squad since Has been at Montpellier through his career from mini rugby made Top 14 debut aged 19 Is from the French U21 team that won the World U21 Championship in 2006 under Marc Lievremont and was captain of the national U21 side in 2007 (beat England U20 at Northampton in March) 04.02.09 4 of 9
6 Thierry Dusautoir (Stade Toulousain) 18.11.81 1.88m 95kgs 18 th cap 3T = 15pts Debut: 2006 v Romania 3 rd test v Ireland no pts Into the RWC2007 squad 4 days after the announcement that Elvis Vermeulen needed an operation on a disc in his back and was one of the few French RWC successes 5 starts and tries v Namibia and NZ after playing in 2 warm-up tests Outstanding in the RWC2007 win v NZ Had gained first 3 caps in 2006 when he played in June v Romania and SA, then in the side that lost 47-3 to NZ at Lyon Born at Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, he began career with Begles-Bordeaux in 2000, then moved in 2003 to Colomiers and in 2004 to Biarritz after completing studies as a chemical engineer In a growing career he won the French Championship in both 2005 and 2006 with Biarritz, then moved in summer 2006 to Toulouse after a losing Heineken Cup final v Munster. Won his third championship in 4 years in 2008 with Toulouse Son of French soldier, took up rugby aged 16, after being a judo player. 5 Lionel Nallet (Castres Olympique)(captain) 14.09.76 1.96m 116kgs 43 rd cap 6T = 30pts Debut: 2000 v Romania 5 th test v Ireland no pts Only Frenchman to start all 2008 RBS 6 Nations tests 11 th successive captaincy of France after Ibanez and Pelous retired after RWC2007 and is the 12 th lock to captain France. Is Lievremont s first captain 4 games at RWC 2007 2T v Namibia and 1T Georgia more than doubled his test try tally, but was dropped by Laporte for the semi v England Recalled for the 2005 autumn tests (played all 4 games) in place of the injured Pascal Pape (back operation) and has since kept ahead of his former club colleague as Pelous retired Then played 9 of the 10 tests of 2006 (3 starts) and retained place in 2007, and had a run of 14 consecutive tests until rested for 2007 summer tour to NZ. Picked up RBS 6 Nations winners medals in 2006 and 2007 His previous caps before 2005 recall had all been in 2000-03 era Good solid lock for several seasons in the French championship, he moved from Bourgoin to Castres in 2003. Test try on debut v Romania 2000, 2 nd test try v Wales 2007, before 3 tries at RWC2007 and 6 th try v England in 2008 4 Sebastien Chabal (Sale Sharks, England) 08.12.77 1.91m 108kgs 43 rd cap = 5T = 25pts Debut: 2000 v Scotland 3 rd test v Ireland no pts Missed 2008 Six Nations but back for summer tour to Australia and Autumn series, and France have used him as lock since the RWC2007 warm up games with England and his last 13 caps (6 starts) have been as lock Since RWC 2003 third place match with NZ, and up to the 2007 Six Nations recall, he had only played 4 tests out of 31 all in 2005 (last v Tonga) but has been revitalised since 2004 at Sale with his former Bourgoin coach Philippe Saint-Andre. European Challenge Cup 2005, Premiership winners medal 2006 Joined Sale from Bourgoin where he played in the first team from 1999-2004 after only taking up the game aged 17, and was in the team that won the World Universities Championship in 2000. 04.02.09 5 of 9
3 Benoit Lecouls (Stade Toulousain) 22.03.78 1.85m 119kgs 6 th cap no pts Debut: 2008 v Australia Has played in the last 5 tests on 2008 summer tour to Australia (2) and Autumn series (3) Rejoined Toulouse in summer 2008 after a spell with Biarritz, and was originally with Agen Was with Agen in 1999-2000, then first spell at Toulouse from 2001-04. Moved to Biarritz in summer 2004 and won French Championship medals in 2005 and 2006 and returned to Toulouse after 2008 summer tour and first caps for France 2 Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Francais) 26.01.83 1.80m 96kgs 31 st cap 4T = 20pts Debut: 2004 v Canada 4 th test v Ireland no pts Played first six games at RWC2007 as back-up to Raphael Ibanez, the captain, and has continued in the squad after Ibanez retirement. 2008 Six nations, missed summer tour due to club commitments, back for 2008 Autumn series Has had two serious injuries in 2006 (achilles) and 2007 (shoulder), which has meant long absences, but returned as sub in the 2007 French Championship final win for Stade Francais. And went on to RWC. 3 games in 2006 Six Nations win, only the first game (Italy) in 2007 success Emerged as first choice in the 2005 autumn tests (v Australia and SA) after moving from Beziers (relegated to D2) to Stade Francais in summer 2005. Brought up in the Beziers system, where the coach was French scrum half J-B Elissalde s father 1 Lionel Faure (Sale Sharks, England) 26.11.77 1.86m 114kgs 7 th cap no pts Debut: 2008 v Scotland Test debut at start of 2008 Six Nations aged 30 played first 3 Six Nations tests in 2008 then once on summer tour v Australia and twice in the Autumn series all caps to date have been starts Has been at Sale since summer 2005 Played senior rugby from the age of 17 at Valence-d Agen, then in 1998 moved to Clermont Auvergne until 2001. Then had spells at La Rochelle from 2001-03, and Pau from 2003-05 alongside Damien Traille Now won Premiership with Sale in 2006 and extended contract to 2010 04.02.09 6 of 9
Substitutes 16 Benjamin Kayser (Leicester Tigers, England) 26.07.84 1.82m 102kgs 6 th cap (if he plays) no pts Debut: 2008 v Australia All caps on 2008 summer tour and autumn series in succession and all as sub to Sebastien Bruno and Szarzewski 2 nd season with Tigers, arrived from Stade Francais as a 2007 Championship winner, and in 2008 played in two domestic finals for Tigers, and is now closing in on 50 games for Tigers French U21 international, on standby for RWC2007, now has full caps 17 Nicolas Mas (USA Perpignan) 23.05.80 1.80m 110kgs 23 rd cap (if he plays) no pts Debut: 2003 v NZ 3 rd test v Ireland no pts Played in 8 of the 10 tests in 2008 (6 starts) missing only the 2008 summer tour to Australia Into the RWC2007 squad when Sylvain Marconnet failed to recover from a broken tibia when skiing during a gap in the RBS 6 Nations, and then injured ankle during recovery, Mas had been in the squad as cover and he then replaced J-B Poux who had a quadriceps injury for the start of the 2008 RBS 6 Nations and has remained in the squad since First test in summer 2003 v NZ, missed the RWC2003, then recalled to national squad after De Villiers shoulder injury v Scotland in 2005 opener, and played last four Six Nations games in 2005 for his last caps before 2007. Played for France at U19, U21, A, and full levels and then onto full honours. 9 th season with Perpignan, alongside Perry Freshwater at prop, joined from local junior club Argeles-sur-Mer, which is the Lievremont s base. Played in 2003 Heineken Cup final. 18 Romain Millo-Chluski (Stade Toulousain) 20.04.83 1.96m 114kgs 5 th cap (if he plays) no pts Debut: 2005 v SA Ist test v Ireland One previous cap in the 30-30 draw with SA on 2005 summer tour (18.06.05 at Durban) before recall for all 2008 Autumn series following the 2008 Championship win with Toulouse Otherwise a loyal club servant at Toulouse joined in 2000 from Paris suburbs club Massy, and made the Toulouse first XV from 2004, and has had 5 seasons as first choice 2005 Heineken Cup winners medal then won first cap. 04.02.09 7 of 9
19 Louis Picamoles (RC Montpellier-Herault) 05.02.86 1.92m 112kgs 9 th cap (if he plays) 1T = 5pts Debut: 2008 v Ireland On as sub v Ireland for first cap to become France s 1,000 th international player, and has played in 8 of the 9 tests since debut (4 starts) First test try v Pacific Islanders 2008 Called up on his 22 nd birthday to replace Elvis Vermeulen who broke a rib v Scotland 2008 and preferred to Sebastien Chabal, Imanol Harinordoquy etc. Was the fourth 21/22 year old from midtable Montpellier in the 2008 squad along with Trinh-Duc, Tomas and Ouedraogo and another from the national U21 side under Lievremont Also played for France U19 in 2004 and 2005 and Universities in 2006 Joined Montpellier from Le Chesnay in 1999, and into the Montpellier youth section in 2001. Top 14 debut on 02.10.04 v Auch Rumoured to be on his way to Toulouse in summer 2009 20 Morgan Parra (CS Bourgoin-Jallieu) 15.11.88 1.81m 77kgs 5 th cap (if he plays) 1PG = 3pts Debut: 2008 v Scotland Played in first 3 Six Nations tests 2008 with PG v England, 4 th cap as sub v Argentina in first match of 2008 Autumn Series Like Frederic Michalak and J-B Elissalde he can play in either half-back position and was four days older than Michalak when debuting v Scotland 2008. Youngest French international is Claude Dourthe at 18y 7d in 1966 v Romania Is from Metz and played junior rugby for Metz and Dijon, and was at the French youth academy at Marcoussis before joining Bourgoin Club debut in Nov 2006 v Agen, and originally No2 to the international fly half Benjamin Boyet, so switched to scrum half Will move to Clermont Auvergne in summer 2009 21 Benoit Baby (ASM Clermont-Auvergne) 07.09.83 1.78m 78kgs 7 th cap (if he plays) 1T 1PG = 8pts Debut: 2005 v Ireland 2 nd test v Ireland 1T = 5pts (on debut) Missed 3yrs test rugby from 2005 to recall to start all 3 Autumn Series tests in 2008 after niggling injuries and a change of club Originally with Toulouse with whom he won Championship and Heineken Cup, he switched to Clermont in 2006 and was runner up in the Championship in 2007 and 2008 Developing into a useful place kicker 04.02.09 8 of 9
22 Cedric Heymans (Stade Toulousain) 20.07.78 1.80m 96kgs 45 th cap (if he plays) 12T = 60pts Debut: 2000 v Italy 6 th test v Ireland 3T = 15pts 2T v Ireland in 43-31 win in 2006 and 1T in 2008 Started first 3 RBS 6 Nations tests 2008 at full back, reverted to left wing for 2008 Autumn series Played full back in the RWC2007 warm-up v Wales, and the RWC opener v Argentina (12-17) then went back to the wing to play 4 more times in the RWC event 1T v Namibia Born at Brive, played senior rugby for Agen, and moved to Toulouse in 1998. Now in 11 th season with the Toulouse club, and can play in all three-quarter positions. Part of 2004 Grand Slam, and 2006 and 2007 Six Nations wins French championship medals in 1999 and 2001 and 2008, Heineken Cup winning squads 2003 and 2005 COACH Marc Lievremont 28.10.68 Former international back row - took over from Bernard Laporte after RWC2007 Coaching career: Biarritz Academy (2003-05), France U21 (2003-05 world U21 champions in 2006), Dax (2005-07 promoted to Top 14 in 2007) International career ended with his 25 th cap at the 1999 RWC final when Australia beat France. Scored 5 tries in international career from 1995-99. Played for Argeles (1974-88), Perpignan (1988-97), Stade Francais (1997-2000) and Biarritz (2000-2002) Born to a military family at Dakar, Senegal, but based at Argeles-sur-Mer, brother Thomas won 37 caps from 1998-2006 and brother Matthieu played for Perpignan and now Dax, and won 2 caps on 2008 summer tour to Australia Record: Played 10; Won 5; Lost 5 04.02.09 9 of 9