France gamble on Beauxis

CARDIFF – France will gamble on Lionel Beauxis at flyhalf and Damien Traille at fullback for their World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand in Cardiff on Saturday.

Coach Bernard Laporte, who announced his team on Wednesday, preferred the 21-year-old Beauxis to Frederic Michalak, more creative but sometimes erratic, and David Skrela, France’s number one flyhalf during the last Six Nations. Another shock decision was the selection of inside centre Traille at fullback, a position where he has only played as a replacement in a few games.Vincent Clerc and Cedric Heymans will be on the wings.”It was not easy but we’ve come up with a team that’s well balanced and will allow us to live up to the challenge,” said France manager Jo Maso.”We’ve got goalkicking abilities (in Beauxis), punch at the back (in Traille) and fighters up front,” he added.”We’ve put all the ingredients which, we believe, will help us counter opponents who will naturally start as favourites.We have faith in our team and in our players.”Beauxis, a member of the France team who won the world Under-21 title last year, was oustanding in France’s 64-7 demolition of Georgia in their final Pool D match on Sunday.The selection of the promising flyhalf, renowned for his calmness under pressure, was regarded as an option but few observers would have bet on Traille being switched to fullback.Laporte has already come under fire in this tournament for his surprise choice of Heymans at fullback in the opening match against Argentina.Heymans looked ill at ease throughout and France lost 17-12, which is why they now have to face the All Blacks.”We have to concentrate on territory and be as efficient as they are in that area,” said Laporte, hinting that Beauxis’s place kicking would play a key role in France’s strategy.Captain Raphael Ibanez, lock Fabien Pelous and prop Pieter de Villiers, who featured in France’s stunning 43-31 win over the All Blacks in their 1999 World Cup semi-final at Twickenham, all start.Nampa-ReutersAnother shock decision was the selection of inside centre Traille at fullback, a position where he has only played as a replacement in a few games.Vincent Clerc and Cedric Heymans will be on the wings.”It was not easy but we’ve come up with a team that’s well balanced and will allow us to live up to the challenge,” said France manager Jo Maso.”We’ve got goalkicking abilities (in Beauxis), punch at the back (in Traille) and fighters up front,” he added.”We’ve put all the ingredients which, we believe, will help us counter opponents who will naturally start as favourites.We have faith in our team and in our players.”Beauxis, a member of the France team who won the world Under-21 title last year, was oustanding in France’s 64-7 demolition of Georgia in their final Pool D match on Sunday.The selection of the promising flyhalf, renowned for his calmness under pressure, was regarded as an option but few observers would have bet on Traille being switched to fullback.Laporte has already come under fire in this tournament for his surprise choice of Heymans at fullback in the opening match against Argentina.Heymans looked ill at ease throughout and France lost 17-12, which is why they now have to face the All Blacks.”We have to concentrate on territory and be as efficient as they are in that area,” said Laporte, hinting that Beauxis’s place kicking would play a key role in France’s strategy.Captain Raphael Ibanez, lock Fabien Pelous and prop Pieter de Villiers, who featured in France’s stunning 43-31 win over the All Blacks in their 1999 World Cup semi-final at Twickenham, all start.Nampa-Reuters