KEY POINTS:
CARDIFF - Lionel Beauxis kicked all France's points in their 24-13 win over South Africa in the final of the under-21 World Cup in June 2006.
Little more than a year later, coach Bernard Laporte has decided he is mature enough to lead the French backline in their World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand on Sunday (NZ time) in Cardiff.
The packed conference room went silent when team manager Jo Maso uttered the words "Number 10: Lionel Beauxis".
Then came a burst of questions. "Why Beauxis? Why not (Frederic) Michalak? Why not (David) Skrela?"
"Because we need his kicking talent, because territorial advantage will be the key of the game," was Laporte's answer.
Apart from his under-21 title and the IRB's under-21 player of the year award which followed, Beauxis's credentials are meagre.
"I know some people will say I lack experience but I don't ask myself such questions. I just charge in and grab everything I can," he said.
The young man has already grabbed nine caps, the first four coming on as a replacement in the first four matches of the last Six Nations, for 12 minutes against Italy, 23 against Ireland, four against Wales and the whole second half against England.
Laporte handed him his first start in the title-clinching game against Scotland and again offered him the reins of the backline in a World Cup warm-up against Wales in August.
He was relegated to the stands for the World Cup opener against Argentina but the defeat and the loss of Skrela to injury saw him promoted to the bench against Namibia and Ireland and to the first XV against Georgia.
It was France's last pool game and Beauxis scored 24 points, five conversions, three penalties and a try.
"I thought I had played a good game but I didn't think I would make the first XV for the quarter-finals because there is a lot of competition at first five-eighths. A berth on the bench would have been great, to get a start is enormous," he said.
It was probably the longest sentence in his short experience of France's interview rooms.
The other French players have nicknamed him "Bernardo" after Zorro's mute servant. They say it is not being mean because, though he could not speak, Bernardo was also pretending to be deaf to spy on Zorro's enemies.
Former France halfback and captain Fabien Galthie has found another nickname for the first five-eighths he recruited for Stade Francais last season.
"He is a snake," Galthie once said. "When he kicks the ball, it's as if he was stroking it with his hands. He is really a cool-blooded guy and when he becomes aware of his potential, he will be the best."
- REUTERS
