France name RWC squad

FRANCE COACH Marc Lièvremont has left out props Sylvain Marconnet and Thomas Domingo from his 30-man Rugby World Cup squad.

However, another prop, Fabien Barcella, has made the cut, despite spending much of the season sidelined with an Achilles injury.

Lièvremont says that it had been a tough choice to leave behind Domingo and 84-test veteran Marconnet, the latter with whom he played in the national side.

“It was a difficult choice,” he told L’Equipe.

“I always said the best two props in France were Thomas [Domingo] and Fabian [Barcella] and I said that I hoped to retain one in the squad, and that's the decision I've made. I was also surprised by the progress of Jean-Baptiste Poux and Luke Ducalcon.”

The side will be captained by Thierry Dusautoir.

France opens its campaign against Japan in Albany on September 10.

France squad:
Forwards: Fabien Barcella, Jean-Baptiste Poux, Nicolas Mas, Luc Ducalcon, William Servat, Dimitri Szarzewski, Guilhem Guirado, Pascal Papé, Julien Pierre, Romain Millo-Chluski, Lionel Nallet, Julien Bonnaire, Imanol Harinordoquy, Thierry Dusautoir (c), Fulgence Ouedraogo, Raphaël Lakafia, Louis Picamoles (Toulouse)
Backs: Morgan Parra, Dimitri Yachvili, David Skrela, François Trinh-Duc, Fabrice Estebanez, Maxime Mermoz, David Marty, Aurélien Rougerie, Maxime Médard, Alexis Palisson, Vincent Clerc, Cédric Heymans, Damien Traille