donnyboy

France pick Beauxis at fly-half
France have opted to play Lionel Beauxis at fly-half with centre Damien Traille at full-back for the World Cup quarter-final with New Zealand.

Coach Bernard Laporte has made eight changes to the side that beat Georgia 64-7 in the final pool match.

Mercurial fly-half Frederic Michalak starts on the bench alongside regular full-back Clement Poitrenaud and lock or loose forward Sebastien Chabal.

Beauxis, who has won nine caps, scored 24 points in the win over Georgia.

"Against New Zealand it's important to have a good kicking game," said Laporte. "Fred Michalak is on the bench, he can come on later."

Laporte said Traille's first Test cap at full-back was also to offer a kicking threat.

"We want to have an answer to their (New Zealand's) kicking game, which is one of their strengths," added Laporte.

"New Zealand are a team who try to keep you in your half and so we need to be able to go out quickly and play in their half of the field.


"This is nothing new for Damien. He said 'it was okay'. If he said 'no', he would not have played at full-back. There is no risk."

Former captain Fabien Pelous was chosen ahead of Lionel Nallet to play alongside Jerome Thion in the second row, while Julien Bonnaire, Thierry Dusautoir and Serge Betsen form the back row.

Pelous, France's most-capped player with 116 Test appearances, is one of the survivors from the the team that beat New Zealand 43-31 in the 1999 World Cup semi-final at Twickenham.

Vincent Clerc and Cedric Heymans were picked on the wings ahead of 1999 hero Christophe Dominici and Aurelien Rougerie.

Yannick Jauzion and David Marty continue in midfield with Jean-Baptiste Elissalde starting at scrum-half.

France, who have never won the World Cup, head into this weekend's match at the Millennium Stadium looking to end a run of seven straight defeats against the All Blacks.

New Zealand, the pre-tournament favourites, are chasing only their second World Cup since winning the inaugural event on home soil in 1987.

France: Traille, Clerc, Marty, Jauzion, Heymans, Beauxis, Elissalde; Milloud, Ibanez (capt), De Villiers, Pelous, Thion, Betsen, Dusautoir, Bonnaire.
Replacements: Szarzewski, Poux, Chabal, Harinordoquy, Michalak, Dominici, Poitrenaud

donnyboy

Carter confident for French test

New Zealand's star fly-half Dan Carter says he expects to be fully fit to face France in Saturday's World Cup quarter-final in Cardiff.

The 25-year-old missed the Romania win with a calf strain and has been restricted to light training this week but was named in the Kiwi starting XV.

"I'm confident I've progressed and I'll be fine," he said.

"This is what I've prepared myself for - the knockout games. I need to step up my game another level."

Centre Luke McAlister said losing Carter would be a blow but would not alter New Zealand's threat.

"Obviously we'd like him to play but if not, Nick Evans can step in there," said McAlister, who is set to play beside Carter at inside centre.

"We've got the best players in the world and we've learned to adapt to each other for the last three or four years, so it's no big deal."

New Zealand's record try-scorer Doug Howlett was left out of coach Graham Henry's 22 when he named the All Blacks team on Tuesday.

Howlett, who has scored 48 Test tries, has been kept out of the side by Sitiveni Sivivatu.

The winger is one of only five players that remain from the side that beat Romania, along with McAlister, wing Joe Rokocoko, lock Keith Robinson and back row Jerry Collins.

Robinson is preferred at lock to Chris Jack, while Anton Oliver starts at hooker, with Keven Mealamu on the bench.

Leon MacDonald starts at full-back and Mils Muliaina comes in at outside centre.

"The selection of the side is probably the most difficult it's been since we've done the job, particularly the backs," said Henry.

"We could have picked any of our 14 backs in this match because they're all playing exceptionally well.

"Up front, there is a bit of a gap between the top and second players in some positions. That's no criticism of the second player, that's just the fact of the matter.

"Having tough choices to make is a great situation to be in but it's also difficult to inform the guys who haven't been picked."

Henry had all of the 30-man squad available for selection, with the exception of loose forward Sione Lauaki, who was banned for two matches for a dangerous tackle on Romania winger Gabriel Brezonianu.


Henry added: "We are excited to play France. Sudden-death rugby obviously has its own tensions and that's the reality all eight teams face this weekend.

"France probably weren't expected to be in this quarter-final so there may be some extra tension in this match particularly.

"As a team we have really enjoyed the big occasions over the last few years and we've enjoyed a good and thorough preparation for this match."

# New Zealand will wear their grey "away" strip instead of their traditional black after losing a coin toss to France, whose shirt is dark blue.

"The All Blacks are a very strong team and if they play in pink, blue or white they would be as strong as playing in black," said France captain Raphael Ibanez.

New Zealand: MacDonald, Rokocoko, Muliaina, McAlister, Sivivatu, Carter, Kelleher; Woodcock, Oliver, Hayman, Robinson, Williams, Collins, McCaw (capt), So'oialo.
Replacements: Mealamu, Tialata, Jack, Masoe , Leonard, Evans, Toeava.

donnyboy

My toughest choice yet - Henry
Most of the All Blacks avoided coach Graham Henry before he revealed his World Cup quarter-final side, hiding in bushes or doorways if they saw the supremo heading towards them at their base in the Cardiff countryside.

None wanted the "got a minute, bud" or a tap on the shoulder which usually means Henry is the bearer of bad selection news.

Mils Muliaina was caught, however, in no-man's land when he turned and found Henry bearing down on him. The coach just grinned as he walked by, muttered "13" and was on his way.

It was a tense time for the squad after they relocated from the warmth of Toulouse to the

cooler Cardiff. Most preferred to wait for the announcement in the team room, taking the accolades or disappointment in the company of their teammates.

Henry later conceded the final choice for the test against France involved some of the hardest decisions in his four years as coach alongside Steve Hansen, Wayne Smith and Sir Brian Lochore.

"When you are associated with a group for a long time, you know them well and they had all put their hands up and played well," said Henry.

The job done, Henry said he was later quizzed by his wife Raewyn, who he whimsically refers to as the fifth selector.

"She had all the questions you guys did about the midfield, wings, lock - just another hurdle for me to jump," he grinned.

Henry confessed he spent more time than usual mulling over all the alternatives with a full squad of 30 to choose from until Sione Lauaki's two match ban was confirmed.

He had to identify the players and combinations best suited to tangle with France and he allowed a little glance ahead to make sure the best workload was achieved.

The backs, he said, involved the most awkward decisions. He thought any of the 14 on tour could have been chosen.

"In the forwards, there is a bit of a gap between some of the first and second players but we have a great situation," he added. "This is the right side for France. It may not be the same next week."

Lock Keith Robinson had been chosen for a variety of reasons. Primarily he was a test-hardened forward who had a presence about his play and would compete massively in the set piece and murky areas, despite only 55 minutes of rugby on tour because of a calf tear.

"If he didn't play in this test, he wouldn't have played for the rest of the tour," Henry concluded. "We want all three of our locks to play and it is better to start with Keith than bring him off the bench."

Sitiveni Sivivatu and Joe Rokocoko had outstanding strike rates in tests and were the appropriate choice for this quarter-final.

Henry said Sivivatu brought the unpredictable splash of flair to his game, while Rokocoko was all pace and power and had a strong chasing game. Some like Aaron Mauger and Doug Howlett had to miss out on the bench because of their comparative lack of versatility.

Daniel Carter, Muliaina and Leon MacDonald were all cleared to play after their leg injuries, although Carter was on light duties and will not be asked to fully test his damaged calf until later this week.

If he does not last, Nick Evans is his probable replacement. He had made enormous progress in this campaign, although Henry said he was not considered to start at either five-eighths or fullback.

The claims of the two fullbacks were too strong for Henry to ignore so he switched Muliaina to centre.

"We have picked the best team for this test. Mils is class at 15 or 13 and he is relaxed about it."

So relaxed he could not come up with the names of any star rival centres when he offered a throwaway line about the quality of centres at the tournament. He ended up in a similar tangle with the identities of opposition fullbacks before wisely suggesting he had some video analysis to complete.

donnyboy

Henry gambles on Muliaina
Hoary old chestnut. Maybe, but Graham Henry used it as the example of how he did not want to repeat the mistakes of the last World Cup.

No way, he said, did he want to be left like the last regime in being forced to pick a player like Leon MacDonald out of position at centre in the playoffs.

So he set about building the admirable depth in his squad, having two players or more to play or compete in each position. Centre has, like 1999 with the experiment of using Christian Cullen, and 2003, become the problem again after the exit of former skipper Tana Umaga.

Henry brought two centres to this World Cup, Conrad Smith and Isaia Toeava, yet he has picked a third, Mils Muliaina, to play against the French in the opening quarter-final at Cardiff.

Groundhog day? Is there going to be any symmetry about 1999, 2003, 2007?

The coach's explanation was that Muliaina was a class player at fullback or centre and had to play, and MacDonald's form demanded his inclusion.

Convincing explanation, yes, but the selection smells more about not trusting Smith and Toeava than believing Muliaina is the best centre in the land.

If that were the case, he should have been persevered with after last year when he was chosen as centre for five of the six Tri-Nations tests.

It will probably not make a blind bit of difference on Sunday against France, who will have to play well in excess of the form they have shown at this World Cup to repeat theirshock in the semifinal of 1999.

Perhaps it is Henry thinking a step ahead to a possible semifinal against the Wallabies, getting another midfield combination set after the troubles against Stirling Mortlock in Melbourne this season.

Muliaina ended up as centre by default in the opening game against Italy, when Smith cried off with his dodgy hamstring, and has played only five minutes since falling foul of a similar hamstring curse.

Instead of giving Toeava the centre duties for that first game, the All Blacks used him as a sub, then wing, and finally at centre against Romania, while Smith was solid if unspectacular in his twin shots at centre.

Muliaina is a very gifted player, a superb fullback who has the vision to return possession from deep and the technical expertise to find his supports, kick judiciously or stay on his feet and retain the ball until his support arrives.

On this tour MacDonald has made some impressive kick returns but he has spilled some kicks and lost the ball in contact. Nick Evans, in his stint against Romania, looked ultra-sharp with the speed to skirt trouble and a superb long kicking game, but his inexperience in that position in top tests appears to have counted against him starting.

When Muliaina switches to centre he rarely makes mistakes, he strengthens the defensive line and has a silky pass under extreme pressure. However he never seems to make as much impact as he does from fullback.

By making the changes now, Henry is almost obliged to persist with the tactic for as long as his team survives.

donnyboy

Australia suffer Staniforth blow


Australia utility back Scott Staniforth is the latest player to be ruled out of his side's squad for Saturday's game against England because of injury.

Staniforth has an on-going shoulder injury which has ruled him out of the Rugby World Cup quarter-final.

He was expected to be on the Australian reserves bench because of his ability to cover wing and inside centre.

Staniforth has not played since the pool game against Fiji and may be sent home is he fails to improve quickly.

"We'll make a decision after Saturday," said Australia coach John Connolly.

"But Scott's important to us because of his flexibility...he helps our bench a great deal so he is a big loss."

Australia have already lost wing Mark Gerrard and backrower David Lyons for the tournament and fly-half Stephen Larkham is a doubt.

Larkham has already been ruled out of the quarter-finals after undergoing two knee operations and would be uncertain to play in the semi-finals if Australia beat England.

But Connolly added: "We are in a reasonable place.

"The goal was to get to the quarter-finals with some petrol in the tank.

"Confidence, belief, composure, patience come into play when you get to this stage of a tournament and belief is massive, confidence is how you play the game that's going to get you through to the end is also a big factor."

donnyboy

Farrell ruled out of England side

The 32-year-old former Great Britain rugby league captain injured his right calf muscle in training on Wednesday.

England will not name their replacement until Friday, with Olly Barkley, Mike Catt or Dan Hipkiss set to come in.

Bath star Barkley would be favourite to regain his place, having been dropped after England's win over Samoa.

Barkley and Leicester's Hipkiss were both named on the bench for Saturday's match but England coach Brian Ashton could opt for the greater experience of 2003 World Cup winner Catt.

The 36-year-old could come on as a straight replacement to partner Mathew Tait, or at fly-half with Jonny Wilkinson moving to inside centre.

Hipkiss is more of an outside centre and his call-up would lead to a rejig of the midfield.

Farrell replaced Barkley after an hour in the 36-20 win against Tonga and went on to score his first try in an England shirt.

His physical presence and powerful kicking game earned him a starting place in the England midfield against the Wallabies.

"For this game we need the direct approach that Andy Farrell brings," said England coach Brian Ashton when announcing his team on Wednesday.

"He's looked sharper and sharper as the tournament has gone on."

Wilkinson, himself to stranger to injury, said Farrell's strength of character would be missed.

"It's not ideal scenario for a team to have to announce a player not making a game. It's tough for Andy himself," he said.

"Andy's had a fantastic tournament so far, off the field especially, what he's brought to the squad in terms of solidity and consistency in attitude and his performance against Tonga summed it up.

"It is a disruption but the strength and depth in the squad means we can overcome that quickly and get on with it."

Former Wigan rugby league star Farrell has endured a frustrating time since switching codes in a move funded by Saracens and the Rugby Football Union in 2005.

He missed his entire first year in union because of injury and was briefly tried at flanker before being moved to the centre position.

donnyboy

Wallabies expect 'dirty' English

Australia have accused England of dirty play ahead of their World Cup quarter-final in Marseille on Saturday.

Wallaby coach John Connolly has even spoken to referee's manager Paddy O'Brien to make sure the game is clean.

"By the forwards they have chosen it's a pretty rough pack," said Wallaby forward Hugh McMeniman. "You can expect anything from the English.

"Definitely off the ball stuff. If you are on the ground you can get anything... a scratch on the eye."

Connolly suggested that the selection of feisty hooker Mark Regan was a sign of how England planned to play.

"England picking Regan at hooker delivers an intent," said Connolly.

"We've spoken to Paddy O'Brien to make sure he behaves himself... just to make sure the game's fair and clean, as opposed to the other side of it."

But the comments were laughed off by England centre Ollie Barkley, who knows Connolly well having played under him at Bath.

"It doesn't surprise me he's starting rumours," said Barkley.

"I'm sure he did it with a smile on his face. It's part of his preparations for a game."

McMeniman said the Wallabies' assistant coach Michael Foley, who has worked extensively in Britain, had also warned his players to watch out for unsettling tactics by the English.

And he stressed that while he had not encountered any foul play in his previous meeting with England, all international sides were inclined to play the same way.

"It's something you don't want in the game but it happens a lot," said McMeniman.

"There's a lot of teams in the world that do it to try and get over the top of their opposite player mentally but you've got to deal with it.

"If it happens on the ground I guess you have to deal what you feel is right then... but it's not going to have any effect on us.

"I would like to see us play the sort of game we want to play, I get more enjoyment out of that, more so than coming down to fisticuffs on the ground with some blokes."

donnyboy

Mortlock fit to captain Australia
Stirling Mortlock has been passed fit to lead Australia in their World Cup quarter-final against England.

The centre missed Australia's last two games with a dislocated shoulder but is back for the crunch clash in Marseille.

Australia have left the tournament's leading try scorer, wing Drew Mitchell, on the bench and replaced him with the more powerful Adam Ashley-Cooper.

Otherwise, it is the same side that beat Wales 32-20 at the Millennium Stadium in the group stages.

Mortlock's return was expected, but is still a welcome relief for coach John Connolly with wing Mark Gerrard and back-rower David Lyons already ruled out of the tournament.

Fly-half Stephen Larkham, who has a knee injury, and utility back Scott Staniforth (shoulder) are also unavailable for Saturday's match.

It means, alongside Mitchell, Julian Huxley is the only other back on a replacements bench stacked with forwards - highlighting Australia's intentions to try to match England's massive pack.

"England are a very dangerous team," said Connolly.

"Their set-piece has been the cornerstone for years, they have incredible speed out wide and Jonny Wilkinson steers them around exceptionally well.

"When you look at our results through the pool games, you'd have to say we're pretty happy with where we're at.

"But we're very conscious that we have to improve considerably on that to go any further in the tournament."

And Connolly also dismissed suggestions young fly-half Berrick Barnes, who is just 21, would be out-classed by Wilkinson in Marseille.

"He has the skills set and the mentality to be able to handle the pressure of the World Cup. We're quite confident with him," said Connolly.

Australia lost to England in the 2003 World Cup final in Sydney with Wilkinson slotting an extra-time drop-goal.

Since then, Australia have beaten England four times in five matches. Australia's last defeat to England was a 26-16 loss at Twickenham in 2005.

Australia: Chris Latham; Adam Ashley-Cooper, Stirling Mortlock, Matt Giteau, Lote Tuqiri; Berrick Barnes, George Gregan; Wycliff Palu, George Smith, Rocky Elsom, Dan Vickerman, Nathan Sharpe, Guy Shepherdson, Stephen Moore, Matt Dunning.
Replacements: Adam Freier, Al Baxter, Hugh McMeniman, Stphen Hoiles, Phil Waugh, Julian Huxley, Drew Mitchell.

donnyboy

Connolly barks underdog
Australia coach John Connolly is expecting England to pose a significant challenge when the two teams resume their World Cup rivalry in Saturday's quarter-final match in Marseille.

Connolly has shrugged off suggestions that his team are the clear-cut favourites ahead of the do-or-die showdown against the defending champions, instead ruling the Wallabies as second best.

"We think we're the underdogs here," Connolly told Sportal.

"As I said right at the start of the tournament I've rated England a huge threat to Australia, because we mirror each other in some ways in terms of our line-out and how we play a little bit - and that's a threat."

"One-off games make everyone very nervous when you're playing for so much."

The Australians are heavily favoured to progress in this re-match of the 2003 final, their form far superior to that of England who were walloped by South Africa and struggled at times to quell the challenges of Samoa and Tonga.

But Connolly acknowledges England's forwards have the ability to take the game away from his men and that Jonny Wilkinson's boot remains as lethal as ever.

And while the coach's underdog claims drew a chorus of laughter from the assembled international media, the wily veteran continued to state his case.

"The experience they have got, I mean [scrum-half Andy] Gomarsall's a great survivor and played very well against Tonga, Wilkinson speaks for himself and the pace they've got out wide - it's a very talented back group," said Connolly.

"In the forwards the tight-five are incredibly strong and we all have memories of 2005 so it's a strong side and (they also have) a number of options in the back row."

Having spent several years coaching in Europe, including a two-year stint as director of rugby for Guinness Premiership side Bath, Connolly boasts an intimate knowledge of the English set-up.

"England probably have got a better driving maul than any other country in the world and I know what emphasis they put on it after being there for quite a while," he said.

On the injury front, veteran pivot Stephen Larkham (knee) continues his recovery from two bouts of knee surgery, and will be assessed next Monday, provided the Wallabies progress to the semi-finals.

"We want him back as soon as possible and it has to be a sensible approach to it," said Connolly.

Connolly also said he had the utmost faith in rookie 21-year-old Queenslander Berrick Barnes stepping up to the mark in the absence of Larkham.

"We've been fortunate because Berrick was probably one of the last players picked for the tournament," Connolly said.

"We thought he had the skill-set and the mentality to be up to handle the pressure of the World Cup. We're quite confident with him."

donnyboy

Now Barkley buckles

England star Olly Barkley, poised to replace the injured Andy Farrell in the XV to face Australia on Saturday, has revealed that he is also struggling for fitness.

But the Bath playmaker has moved to allay any fears about his fitness as England target a win over the Wallabies and semi-final showdown against New Zealand or France in Paris.

"I got a dead leg in training yesterday," said Barkley on Thursday.

"I am walking fine and we will just have to wait and see what happens in selection.

"That has just been our luck in this World Cup - if you are on the bench in this team, you are as good as starting sometimes!

"Myself and Faz were injured about five minutes apart in training. I sat down, then Faz came and sat down.

"I think he was just running, chasing a kick. I, unfortunately, got a flying Phil Vickery in the side of my leg.

"They were two freak incidents, really."

Farrell will miss the quarter-final clash after sustaining a calf injury, and Barkley admitted he would be disappointed if Brian Ashton does not hand him the inside-centre slot.

Barkley, Jonny Wilkinson, Jason Robinson, Mark Cueto and Farrell have all suffered cruel setbacks at various stages of the tournament which has forced Ashton into various degrees of chopping and changing.

Ashton will not make any public announcement about Farrell's replacement until Friday lunchtime, but Barkley, Mike Catt and Toby Flood are the alternatives.

Ashton must decide whether or not to promote Barkley off the bench, go with the vastly-experienced Catt - a 2003 World Cup winner - or hand Flood a first appearance since he arrived in France as an injury replacement for his Newcastle colleague Jamie Noon.

The smart money is now on Catt making a first start since he played at fly-half in England's record 36-0 World Cup defeat against South Africa at Stade de France in the pool stages.