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Les Tricolores make six changes

France made six changes to the team that beat Scotland 27-6 at Murrayfield to play Ireland in their second match of the Six Nations championship at the Stade de France on Saturday.

Julien Bonnaire comes in at No. 8 for Elvis Vermeulen, ruled out for the remainder of the tournament with a fractured rib.

Hooker Dimitri Szarzewski, prop Nicolas Mas, lock Arnaud Mela, flyhalf David Skrela and wing Aurelien Rougerie, who started on the bench against Scotland, are all in the starting line-up.

The main surprise in the team unveiled yesterday by coach Marc Lievremont is the fact that winger Vincent Clerc, who scored two tries against Scotland, will start on the bench.

Injury-prone French backrow forward Elvis Vermeulen was ruled out of the rest of the Six Nations on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old nine-times capped Clermont star -- who missed the World Cup because of a herniated disc injury -- has been replaced in the squad by the uncapped No. 8 Louis Picamoles of Montpellier.

Vermeulen suffered a blow to his thorax during Sunday's 27-6 win over Scotland at Murrayfield, but initially declared himself fit for next Saturday's clash with Ireland at the Stade de France.

However, after training with the rest of the squad on Tuesday he pulled up with sore ribs and the immediate diagnosis was that he would be out for between four to six weeks.

It represents a dream birthday present for Picamoles, who turned 22 on Tuesday, and he will join up with two similarly young club-mates in another backrow forward Fulgence Ouedraogo, aged just 21 with two caps, and flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc, also 21 and who impressed in his debut against the Scots.

"I am finding it hard to get to grips with what has happened," Picamoles said. "It is one of the most beautiful days of my life, and what's more it is my birthday."

"My teammates will help me fit into the squad and as for starting the match, I am just happy to savour being selected in the squad. The team made a real impression on me in the match against Scotland, and I am very excited to be joining up with them," he said.

Picamoles has impressed this season -- especially in the 14-14 European Challenge Cup draw with Sale and the 37-13 thrashing of Bayonne. He scored a try in both matches and was close to being called up for the squad for the Scotland clash.

Team:

15 - Cedric Heymans, 14 - Aurelien Rougerie, 13 - David Marty, 12 - Damien Traille, 11 - Julien Malzieu, 10 - David Skrela, 9 - Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, 8 - Julien Bonnaire, 7 - Fulgence Ouedraogo, 6 - Thierry Dusautoir, 5 - Arnaud Mela, 4 - Lionel Nallet (captain), 3 - Nicolas Mas, 2 - Dimitri Szarzewski, 1 - Lionel Faure.

Replacements: 16 - William Servat, 17 - Julien Brugnaut, 18 - Loic Jacquet, 19 - Louis Picamoles, 2O - Morgan Parra, 21 - Francois Trinh-Duc, 22 - Vincent Clerc.
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