France coach Bernard Laporte has picked fly-half David Skrela at centre in one of nine changes for Friday’s World Cup third-place tie against Argentina.

 

Damien Traille, who played as a makeshift full-back in the last two matches, also reverts to centre.

Clement Poitrenaud resumes at full-back, while Aurelien Rougerie and Christophe Dominici start on the wings.

Frederic Michalak plays at fly-half, with hooker Raphael Ibanez captaining the side in probably his last Test.

Lionel Nallet comes in at lock for the injured Fabien Pelous, who could also retire after the World Cup.

But there is no place, even on the bench, for veteran flanker Serge Betsen.

Prop Pieter de Villiers, lock Jerome Thion, and flanker Thierry Dusautoir all keep their places.

Sebastien Chabal starts on the bench after being cleared by a disciplinary panel on Monday of a dangerous tackle on England’s Simon Shaw during the 14-9 semi-final defeat.

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France: Poitrenaud, Rougerie, Skrela, Traille, Dominici, Michalak, Elissalde; Poux, Ibanez, De Villiers, Nallet, Thion, Nyanga, Dusautoir, Harinordoquy.
Replacements: Bruno, Mas, Chabal, Martin, Mignoni, Beauxis, Clerc.

Video highlights of the Rugby World Cup semi final – Saturday 13th October 2007

Flanker Serge Betsen has been named in France’s team for Saturday’s World Cup semi-final against England. Betsen was replaced after only five minutes of his country’s quarter-final win over New Zealand last Saturday when he took a blow to the back of his head.

Prop Olivier Milloud, who missed the second half against the All Blacks with a neck injury, will also start.

D Traille; V Clerc, D Marty, Y Jauzion, C Heymans; L Beauxis, J-B Elissalde; O Milloud, R Ibanez (capt), P de Villiers, F Pelous, J Thion, S Betsen, T Dusautoir, J Bonnaire.

Replacements: J-B Poux, D Szarzewski, S Chabal, I Harinordoquy, F Michalak, C Dominici, C Poitrenaud.

Flanker Serge Betsen has provided a huge boost for France by declaring himself fit for Saturday’s World Cup semi-final against England.

Betsen was replaced after only five minutes of his country’s quarter-final win over New Zealand last Saturday when he took a blow to the back of his head.

But he said: “The pain was a lot less on Sunday and everything is now fine.”

Prop Olivier Milloud, who missed the second half against the All Blacks with a neck injury, has also recovered.

It should mean that Les Bleus, who at one stage had injury concerns over 10 players, will have a fully fit squad to choose from for the Paris showdown.

Key players who received minor injuries last weekend, such as Yannick Jauzion (eye), Vincent Clerc (back) and Jerome Thion (thigh), should all train as normal this week.

Scrum-half Pierre Mignoni missed the quarter-final with a thigh injury, suffered during France’s final Pool D game against Georgia a week and a half ago.

There were fears he would have to leave the squad, possibly to be replaced by Dimitri Yachvili, but the prognosis on the Clermont-Auvergne number nine is positive and he is expected to train in the next few days.

France will name their team on Wednesday for the semi-final clash.

The winning try by France in the RWC Quarter final 2007 against New Zealand, a moment of magic in this video highlight