FRANCE are showing Scotland no mercy or plenty of respect – depending on how you rate the decision to field their strongest available team for the clash at the Stade de France tomorrow. It is close to the side that defeated England 25-20 a couple of weeks ago, with both the changes injury-related.
The main one is the return of Thierry Dusautoir, the captain, after missing their previous warm-up games through injury. Heading in the opposite direction is Yoann Maestri, the lock, who damaged ribs against England and is not risked for this match.
"We have gone for continuity after our last performance against England," said Philippe Saint-Andre, the France coach. "We chose to keep the backbone of the team – hooker, No.8, scrum-half, fly-half and-full back – intact so that it can continue to prepare well and build-up confidence."
Dusautoir has been missing from action all summer but has timed his return to fitness to perfection, available for the final match before the World Cup starts – France are in the same pool as Ireland, Italy, Canada and Romania – and ready to lead the side into the tournament for the second time.
"It is the right time; he is in good shape," said Saint-Andre. "It is important for him and the team that the captain plays. It is just under three weeks from the start of the World Cup and he had demonstrated in training that he is in good shape physically and mentally – he wants to prove that on the field."
Louis Picamoles, the No.8, and Scott Spedding, the full-back, are the only players to have featured in all three of France's warm-up games as Saint-Andre fulfils his demand that they back up performances from one week to the next.
There is one gamble on the bench with Bernard Le Roux, who normally plays in the back row, being asked to cover lock, though Saint-Andre says that, barring injury, he has not decided what role the player will fill when he does come off the bench – he may decide to play his locks through the full 80 minutes and bring on Le Roux in a position he knows better.
Vern Cotter, the Scotland coach who used to play and coach in France, reckons the opposition are more than dark horses for the title. "They have reached three finals and I think this year they are better prepared than ever," he said.
France: S Spedding; Y Huget, M Bastareaud, W Fofana, N Nakaitaci; F Michalak, S Tillous Borde; E Ben Arous, G Guirado, R Slimani, P Pape, A Flanquart, T Dusautoir, D Chouly, L Picamoles. Replacements: D Szarzewski, V Debaty, N Mas, B Le Roux, Y Nyanga, M Parra, R Tales, A Dumoulin
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