Fresh French team ready

Kumamoto – France will look to long-serving number eight Louis Picamoles, pictured, for inspiration as he captains his country for the first time against the United States in the World Cup’s “group of death”.

Les Bleus squeaked home 2321 against Argentina in their first match and are hoping to press their advantage in the ultra-competitive Pool C, which also includes England, who beat the United States 45-7.

Coach Jacques Brunel has rung the chances for the clash in Fukuoka, on the southwestern tip of Japan, with only three players surviving from the nail-biting win over the Pumas.

Fly-half Camille Lopez, whose drop goal broke Pumas hearts, starts at 10, preferred this time to young gun Romain Ntamack.

“We tried to balance things over the two games, to play everyone. Some people will play twice. We also tried to take into account everyone’s form and fitness. We had to select two teams,” Brunel said.

Fresh from a 10-day break after the Argentina game, France have only four days to recover from playing the Eagles before facing a highly physical Tongan XV – not to mention the potential pool decider against eternal enemy England.

But Brunel said he was not looking ahead to “Le Crunch” in Yokohama on October 12.

“Frankly, we have not thought about our team for England. What is important is to win these two matches. If we do that and Argentina lose to England, we should have qualified” for the quarter-finals, said Brunel.

For the coach, handing Picamoles the captaincy in place of hooker Guilhem Guirado was a logical choice.

The rampaging number eight “has the most experience in this reshuffled team. And it’s a position and a role that he knows” from his club side Montpellier.

The 33-year-old is the oldest player in the French squad and is enjoying his third World Cup. Although he has won 80 caps, he has never led out Les Bleus.

France will have an embarrassment of riches in the kicking department, with Lopez, scrumhalf Maxime Machenaud or fullback Thomas Ramos.

The United States put up respectable resistance to Eddie Jones’ powerful side in the opening game but coach Gary Gold was furious with his players, calling on them to improve “every aspect of their game” after the 45-7 defeat. – AFP