HIGH HOPES PINNED ON NEW FRENCH COACH
FOR SIX NATIONS SUCCESS
- It seems a pretty common assumption in rugby circles that the final outcome of the Six Nations Championships that commence in February is like the two post of a goal, wide open! But does the French team enter the tournament with better promise than it exited the semi-final of last year’s World Cup?
This year all French hopes seem firmly pinned to the broad shoulders of new coach Marc Lièvremont, the 25 times capped, former flanker.
According to some rugby commentators there’s a reasonable expectation that he can make up for his predecessor Bernard Laporte’s shortcomings. And he aims to do this by “starting from scratch” bringing on many “new faces” but all with well-proven credentials.
Over a long period Lièvremont has observed many matches and painstakingly followed the progress of French rugby. So his final selection for the country’s 22-man squad has “considered everyone”.
He is reported to have said: “We took into consideration everything, the players who are in form and the team we are playing against. We wanted coherence with 2011 in mind and we also wanted a team that could be competitive at this year’s Six Nations”.
As a consequence the French pack “will barely be recognisable from the World Cup.” Whether or not this drastic decision pays off remains to be seen so all eyes are turned on Murrayfield on 3 February.
The 2008 Six Nation Fixture dates are:
Saturday, 02 February:
England v Wales
Ireland v Italy
Sunday, 03 February :
Scotland v France
Saturday, 09 February:
France v Ireland
Wales v Scotland
Sunday, 10 February:
Italy v England
Saturday, 23 February:
France v England
Ireland v Scotland
Wales v Italy
Saturday, 08 March:
Ireland v Wales
Scotland v England
Sunday, 09 March:
France v Italy
Saturday, 15 March:
England v Ireland
Italy v Scotland
Wales v France