France ring the changes for Ireland match

MARCOUSSIS, France - France have dropped five players from the starting lineup that lost to Scotland and recalled veterans Olivier Magne and Raphael Ibanez for the Six Nations match against Ireland on Sunday NZ time.

Fullback Nicolas Brusque, centre Ludovic Valbon, flanker Remy Martin, prop Sylvain Marconnet and hooker Dimitri Szarzewski paid the price for the 20-16 defeat at Murrayfield that shattered France's hopes of a Six Nations grand slam.

Veteran flanker Magne and hooker Ibanez are back, David Marty comes in at centre while loosehead prop Olivier Milloud is promoted from the bench for the match at the Stade de France

Christophe Dominici moves from wing to fullback, enabling Aurelien Rougerie to come back on the wing.

France defeated Ireland 37-17 in their last encounter at the Stade de France in 2004 and beat them 26-19 at Lansdowne Road last season. Ireland recorded their last win in Paris in 2000.

Team:
15-Christophe Dominici; 14-Aurelien Rougerie, 13-Florian Fritz, 12-David Marty, 11-Cedric Heymans; 10-Frederic Michalak, 9-Jean-Baptiste Elissalde; 8-Julien Bonnaire, 7-Olivier Magne, 6-Yannick Nyanga, 5-Jerome Thion, 4-Fabien Pelous (captain), 3-Pieter de Villiers, 2-Raphael Ibanez, 1-Olivier Milloud.

Reserves: 16-Sebastien Bruno, 17-Sylvain Marconnet, 18-Lionel Nallet, 19-Remy Martin, 20-Dimitri Yachvili, 21-Benjamin Boyet, 22-Ludovic Valbon.

- REUTERS