Post by Taxigirl on Nov 7, 2003 9:58:41 GMT
Sun 9 Nov | 0730 GMT | Melbourne | Quarter-final
France will be looking to avenge their Six Nations defeat to Ireland earlier in the year when the teams meet in the World Cup last eight.
France coach Bernard Laporte has remained true to his word and stuck, en masse, with the team that beat Scotland so convincingly in the pool stages.
Laporte had told the second-string team he sent out against the USA they were only playing for places on the bench, and so it has proved.
Notable changes among the substitutes see South African-born centre Brian Liebenberg come in for Damien Traille and Patrick Tabacco return to the fold.
Les Bleus were edged out 15-12 in a kicking duel at Lansdowne Road earlier in the year.
Lock Jerome Thion is the only newcomer in the pack from that match, but wholesale changes behind the scrum mean wing Aurelien Rougerie is the only survivor from that outing.
While the French first team have been putting their feet up on Bondi beach for two weeks, their opponents have had two hard games against Argentina and Australia in Pool A.
Ireland have made two changes from the team that pushed the Wallabies so close in their final pool match, also in Melbourne.
Coach Eddie O'Sullivan has made one apiece in the backs and forwards.
John Kelly comes in on the left wing in place of the injured Denis Hickie, a victim of a torn Achilles.
O'Sullivan has also recalled Victor Costello in place of Anthony Foley at number eight, describing the change as "horses for courses".
Costello missed the Australia game with a thigh strain.
Ronan O'Gara has won the vote at fly-half, with rival David Humphreys on the bench for the second successive game.
The teams have met 77 times with France leading the head-to-head 44 victories to 28.
That tally of wins includes the only previous World Cup match between the sides in 1995, although the French have lost three of their last four meetings.
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France: N Brusque; A Rougerie, T Marsh, Y Jauzion, C Dominici; F Michalak, F Galthie (capt); J-J Crenca, R Ibanez, S Marconnet, F Pelous, J Thion, S Betsen, O Magne, I Harinordoquy.
Replacements: Y Bru, O Millou, O Brouzet, P Tabacco, G Merceron, B Liebenberg, P Elhorga.
Ireland: G Dempsey, S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, K Maggs, J Kelly; R O'Gara, P Stringer; R Corrigan, K Wood (capt), J Hayes; M O'Kelly, P O'Connell; S Easterby, K Gleeson, V Costello.
Replacements: S Byrne, M Horan, D O'Callaghan, E Miller, G Easterby, D Humphreys, A Horgan.
France will be looking to avenge their Six Nations defeat to Ireland earlier in the year when the teams meet in the World Cup last eight.
France coach Bernard Laporte has remained true to his word and stuck, en masse, with the team that beat Scotland so convincingly in the pool stages.
Laporte had told the second-string team he sent out against the USA they were only playing for places on the bench, and so it has proved.
Notable changes among the substitutes see South African-born centre Brian Liebenberg come in for Damien Traille and Patrick Tabacco return to the fold.
Les Bleus were edged out 15-12 in a kicking duel at Lansdowne Road earlier in the year.
Lock Jerome Thion is the only newcomer in the pack from that match, but wholesale changes behind the scrum mean wing Aurelien Rougerie is the only survivor from that outing.
While the French first team have been putting their feet up on Bondi beach for two weeks, their opponents have had two hard games against Argentina and Australia in Pool A.
Ireland have made two changes from the team that pushed the Wallabies so close in their final pool match, also in Melbourne.
Coach Eddie O'Sullivan has made one apiece in the backs and forwards.
John Kelly comes in on the left wing in place of the injured Denis Hickie, a victim of a torn Achilles.
O'Sullivan has also recalled Victor Costello in place of Anthony Foley at number eight, describing the change as "horses for courses".
Costello missed the Australia game with a thigh strain.
Ronan O'Gara has won the vote at fly-half, with rival David Humphreys on the bench for the second successive game.
The teams have met 77 times with France leading the head-to-head 44 victories to 28.
That tally of wins includes the only previous World Cup match between the sides in 1995, although the French have lost three of their last four meetings.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
France: N Brusque; A Rougerie, T Marsh, Y Jauzion, C Dominici; F Michalak, F Galthie (capt); J-J Crenca, R Ibanez, S Marconnet, F Pelous, J Thion, S Betsen, O Magne, I Harinordoquy.
Replacements: Y Bru, O Millou, O Brouzet, P Tabacco, G Merceron, B Liebenberg, P Elhorga.
Ireland: G Dempsey, S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, K Maggs, J Kelly; R O'Gara, P Stringer; R Corrigan, K Wood (capt), J Hayes; M O'Kelly, P O'Connell; S Easterby, K Gleeson, V Costello.
Replacements: S Byrne, M Horan, D O'Callaghan, E Miller, G Easterby, D Humphreys, A Horgan.