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France make multiple changes to team for Scotland game
By Online Editors
France have made four changes to the side that were thrashed 44-8 by England for their upcoming Guinness Six Nations match with Scotland.
Head coach Jacques Brunel has decided to give youth it's chance with an inexperienced halfback combination of 22-year-old scrum-half Antoine Dupont and 19-year-old Toulouse teammate Romain Ntamack, They replace Morgan Parra and Camille Lopez, who drop out of the 23-man squad altogether.
Another of Toulouse's backline gets a nod - 23-year-old Thomas Ramos. He starts at full-back having made his international debut off the bench against England. Yoann Huget, who struggled in the position at Twickenham, returns to the wing.
The other switch in the backline sees Gael Fickou moved from the wing to inside centre in place of Geoffrey Doumayrou, who fails to make the 23. Mathieu Bastareaud will be alongside Fickou.
There is just one change in the forwards and it comes in the backrow, with Wenceslas Lauret, who started against Wales on matchday one, selected at blindside instead of Yacouba Camara.
France will be looking to maintain their impressive record against Scotland, they have lost in Paris to the Scots since 1999. Jacques Brunel's are searching for their first win of the championship having blown a 16-0 half-time lead against Wales to lose 24-19, followed by their worst defeat at Twickenham in over a century.
15. Thomas Ramos
14. Damian Penaud
13. Mathieu Bastareaud
12. Gaël Fickou
11. Yoann Huget
10. Romain Ntamack
9. Antoine Dupont
1. Jefferson Poirot
2. Guilhem Guirado
3. Demba Bamba
4. Sébastien Vahaamahina
5. Félix Lambey
6. Wenceslas Lauret
7. Arthur Iturria
8. Louis Picamoles
Replacements
16. Camille Chat
17. Etienne Falgoux
18. Dorian Aldegheri
19. Paul Willemse
20. Gregory Alldritt
21. Baptiste Serin
22. Anthony Belleau
23. Maxime Médard
Watch: Jacques Brunel and Guilhem Guirado reflect on England defeat
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Latest Comments
Ford completely took the energy out the game for us, waving his hands telling people to calm down. Just for us to die off and lose the momentum.
Bringing him on all the time to ‘close out’ games is condescending to Smith. Get Ford out and let Marcus Smith & Fin Smith run the show. The future is them so give them the keys and let them get on with it.
Go to commentsTaking Marcus Smith off was a big puzzle and probably cost England the game. However, Abs created more opportunities and scored some tries but left a lot out there through sloppy execution, not playing to the ref and no enforcement of English off-side play. The fact the game was close all through made it worth watching but it was a frustrating pectacle. English succeeded in slowing the game down and were in the refs ear which Gardner allowed. I think Ireland or France will punish the sloppy execution more than England so still much for ABs to work on.
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