France rugby coach goes for experience

PARIS, France -- France have made six changes for the Six Nations Championship decider against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.

Coach Marc Lievremont has recalled several experienced players in a 22-strong squad after Sunday's 25-13 defeat of Italy at the Stade de France.

Wales are looking for a victory that would give them the Grand Slam, while the French need to win by at least 20 points to take the title.

Lievremont has given a series of newcomers their chance in earlier games but said there would be no debutants for the clash with Wales.

Back come Toulouse hooker William Servat, Toulouse scrum-half Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, Stade Francais fly-half David Skrela, Toulouse winger Cedric Heymans and back row pair Thierry Dusautoir and Elvis Vermeulen.

"Wales are a tough assignment and we needed players that already know and understand our system so can work at fine-tuning our tactics in the short time that is left for us," Lievremont said.

The French pack has struggled in the scrum, at the line-out and at the breakdown hence the return of Dusautoir and Vermeulen.

"We made mistakes at the line-out and in the scrum against Italy and it's true that it does not help in these sectors by making so many chances to the squad.

"But we knew what the dangers would be," said forwards coach Didier Retiere.

France squad:

Forwards: Fabien Barcella (Auch), Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Frangais), William Servat (Toulouse), Jean-Baptiste Poux (Toulouse), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Lionel Nallet (Castres), Arnaud Mela (Albi), Jerome Thion (Biarritz), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse), Julien Bonnaire (Clermont), Elvis Vermeulen (Clermont)

Backs: Jean-Baptiste Elissalde (Toulouse), Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz), Francois Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), David Skrela (Stade Frangais), Damien Traille (Biarritz), Yannick Jauzion (Toulouse), Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), Julien Malzieu (Clermont), Cedric Heymans (Toulouse), Anthony Floch (Clermont)

Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll will be out for three to four weeks after a scan delivered a positive diagnosis on his hamstring tear.

A scan on Monday confirmed a moderate tear to the hamstring from a late tackle in the 16-12 loss to Wales at Croke Park on Saturday.

O'Driscoll will miss Ireland's last Six Nations outing against England this Saturday at Twickenham, and will also be unavailable for Magners League matches with league leader Leinster against Glasgow Warriors on March 21 and Llanelli on March 29.

However, Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan expects his skipper to make the summer tour of New Zealand and Australia, starting against the All Blacks on June 7.

An Irish Rugby Football Union statement confirmed: "The injury is not as bad as was first feared and it is expected that this will prevent him from playing for a period of between three and four weeks."

O'Driscoll's injury further depleted Ireland's midfield with longtime partner Gordon D'Arcy out since he broke his arm against Italy in the opening match.

Ireland, having lost the Triple Crown to Wales, need to beat England this weekend to finish third. E-mail to a friend