Rugby | Six Nations: France makes six changes for team to face Ireland

France’s rugby team head coach Guy Noves, watches player Maxime Medard during a training session at the National Rugby Center in Marcoussis

France made six changes from the side that pipped Italy 23-21 for the Six Nations match against defending champion Ireland tomorrow.
Four newcomers were in the starting lineup against Italy, and squeezed out a win thanks to flyhalf Jules Plisson’s mammoth late kick from 54 meters.
Knowing that Ireland will pose a far greater threat in the scrum, France coach Guy Noves changed his props yesterday — drafting in the less mobile but sturdier Uini Atonio for Rabah Slimani and Jefferson Poirot for Eddy Ben Arous.
“Against Italy we did some things well. But in other areas, we were far away from the international level,” Noves said. “We must improve in terms of our defensive play, especially with this Irish armada coming.”
Yacouba Camara replaced No. 8 Louis Picamoles, and Alexandre Flanquart took the place of Paul Jedrasiak at lock. That meant Damien Chouly, a tryscorer against Italy, took the No. 8 jersey and Camara will play flanker.
In the backs, Teddy Thomas replaced Hugo Bonneval on the right wing, and Maxime Mermoz stepped in for Gael Fickou at outside center.
France will sorely miss the experience of Picamoles against Ireland. He is likely to miss the rest of the Six Nations after tearing his right hamstring shortly after left winger Virimi Vakatawa’s early debut try against Italy.
“We will see if our back row can match up to Ireland,” Noves said. “Yacouba is playing only his second test. Is he up to the challenge? We’ll see.”
Bonneval got France’s other try against Italy, but Noves wants to take another look at Thomas — who grabbed a hat trick on debut against Fiji in November 2014, another try against Australia in the following test, but then drifted off the scene.
“Teddy has a certain talent, I’ve been watching him for the past few months,” Noves said. “He has the chance to make an impression in this young squad. But this doesn’t call into question Hugo’s talent, not at all.”
Fickou was absent for personal reasons, and was not on the bench for the match at Stade de France, giving Mermoz another chance to re-ignite his stop- start international career.
A deceptive runner with good hands, Mermoz played in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final loss to New Zealand, but was never an integral part of incoming coach Philippe Saint-   Andre’s plans following that tournament, and missed last year’s World Cup.
The kicking duties could once again be shared between scrumhalf Sebastien Bezy and Plisson.
Noves refused to rule out Bezy, despite him missing all three of his kicks against Italy.
“It’s not because he missed kicks that he’s become bad; the week before he kicked seven out of seven for his club,” Noves said. “If Jules wants to carry on where he left off, he will. If Seb feels up to it, then he will. It’s up to them and we’ll respect their decision.” Jerome Pugmire, Paris, AP

france lineup

France: Maxime Medard, Teddy Thomas, Maxime Mermoz, Jonathan Danty, Virimi Vakatawa, Jules Plisson, Sebastien Bezy; Damien Chouly, Yacouba Camara, Wenceslas Lauret, Yoann Maestri, Alexandre Flanquart, Uini Atonio, Guilhem Guirado (captain), Jefferson Poirot. Reserves: Camille Chat, Rabah Slimani, Eddy Ben Arous, Paul Jedrasiak, Loann Goujon, Maxime Machenaud, Jean-Marc Doussain, Hugo Bonneval.