Fit-again Castaignede in the frame for Italian job

France have recalled fullback Thomas Castaignede and No 8 Thomas Lievremont to a squad expanded to 30 players for the Six Nations match against Italy at the Stade de France on February 25.

"We just talked to Thomas, he said he had fully recovered and would play this weekend with his club, Saracens," manager Jo Maso said at the team's training camp.

"Thomas made a brilliant comeback in November. He can play at first five-eighths, centre or fullback - for the time being we think of him as a fullback."

The 31-year-old, who has 47 caps, missed France's Six Nations matches against Scotland and Ireland because of a leg injury suffered early in January.

Castaignede made his international debut in 1995 and was arguably the world's best first five-eighth at the end of the 1990s but his career has since been marred by a series of injuries.

He came back to international action in November as a replacement against Australia and started the next three tests, all won by France, against Canada, Tonga and South Africa.

After recalling hooker Raphael Ibanez and flanker Olivier Magne against Ireland, following a shock 20-16 defeat by Scotland, the French selectors named flanker Serge Betsen and No 8 Lievremont in the squad for the Italy game.

Biarritz flanker Thierry Dusautoir is the only newcomer.

France squad

Forwards: Pieter de Villiers, Sylvain Marconnet, Olivier Milloud, Nicolas Mas, Raphael Ibanez, Sebastien Bruno, Fabien Pelous (captain), Jerome Thion, Lionel Nallet, Pascal Pape, Yannick Nyanga, Thomas Lievremont, Remy Martin, Julien Bonnaire, Olivier Magne, Thierry Dusautoir, Serge Betsen

Backs: Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, Dimitri Yachvili, Frederic Michalak, Benjamin Boyet, Florian Fritz, David Marty, Yannick Jauzion, Damien Traille, Ludovic Valbon, Cedric Heymans, Christophe Dominici, Thomas Castaignede, Nicolas Brusque

- REUTERS