Coach denies selection 'murder'

From Jean-Paul Coret in Marcoussis, France
May 15, 2007

FRANCE coach Bernard Laporte denied a "murder" charge overnight, in naming an uncapped 19 year-old centre in a predictably under-strength 33-man squad for next month's tour of New Zealand.
France has left out all the leading players still involved in the latter stages of its domestic championship, and the squad party will be reduced to 26 after its final round on May 26.
The provisional squad, named overnight, for the June 2 Test with the All Blacks in Auckland and June 9 clash in Wellington, contains a host of new faces, including centre Mathieu Bastareaud from third division club Massy.
"No, it's not a murder," said Laporte when asked if he was sending Bastareaud "to the slaughter house".
"Bastareaud is a very powerful player and he has the mental strength of a 25-year-old. Several top-flight clubs wanted to sign him and he will join Agen next season," he added.
Another surprise is the selection of two seasoned players who might have considered their international career to be over, Olivier Magne and Christian Califano.
"It's up to them to prove they are still competitive," said Laporte of the 34-year-old flanker and the 35-year-prop, who won the last of their 88 and 69 caps in 2006 and 2003 respectively.
Magne and Califano will bring a strong English flavour to the squad along with captain Raphael Ibanez, hooker Sebastien Bruno, flanker Sebastien Chabal and fullbacks Thomas Castaignede and Julien Laharrague, who all play club rugby in the Premiership.
"We tried to postpone or cancel the tour with financial compensation, but in vain," said team manager Jo Maso.
"I think our English and Irish are friends are in the same situation and will send second-string teams to South Africa and Argentina."
But Laporte stressed that "all the players will play for interesting stakes".
"For some of them it will at short term because they can still grab a berth in our World Cup squad, some will have a medium-term goal because rugby will not stop after the World Cup, some will play for the future like Bastareaud," he added.
Reuters

Provisional France squad for two-Test tour to New Zealand:

Forwards:

David Attoub, Christian Califano, Franck Montanella, Nicolas Mas or Benoit Lecouls, Raphael Ibanez (captain), Sebastien Bruno, Pascal Pape, Julien Pierre, Olivier Olibeau or Jerome Thion, Sebastien Chabal, Damien Chouly, Olivier Magne, Mathieu Lievremont, Imanol Harinordoquy or Gregory Lecorvec.

Backs:

Nicolas Durand or Dimitri Yachvili, Mathieu Barrau, Benjamin Boyet, Nicolas Laharrague or Maxime Petitjean, Mathieu Bastareaud, David Marty or Romain Cabannes, Ludovic Valbon, Jean-Philippe Grandclaude or Arnaud Mignardi, Pepito Elhorga, Julien Laharrague, Benjamin Thierry, Thomas Castaignede.