CENTRE Richard Dourthe has pulled out of the French side for tomorrow's Five Nations encounter with Ireland at Lansdowne Road. Dourthe, who has been replaced by Stephane Glas, was knocked out while training yesterday and the medical team decided that it was too risky for him to play in his 12th international.

The 23-year-old Glas will win his eighth cap. He made his debut against Ireland in last year's Five Nations meeting and played in both of their disappointing performances against world champions South Africa in December.

Meanwhile, Brian Ashton, the new coaching adviser to the Ireland side, yesterday said he was not daunted by the odds being quoted against an Ireland win. Nor does he believe the fact that Ireland's last win over France was attained in 1983 has any real relevance.

Ashton was speaking after the Irish squad arrived in Dublin yesterday afternoon after he had had three days of intensive training and familiarisation with the squad in Limerick since last Monday when he met the players for the first time.

"It has been an interesting week. It was a week spent on three levels, developing a relationship, working on technical aspects and building a framework for the game." He believes that it was productive on all fronts.

Turning to Ireland's strengths, he said: "I think Ireland has an outstanding pack of forwards," and the object now is to get them to deliver on their potential.

"They are very good in the set pieces, they are good outside the set pieces; I want them to ally those attributes to the traditional fire and passion that one associates with Irish forward play.

"I am not a gambling man and I will not make forecasts about scores," he said after being told that odds of 4 to 1 were available against Ireland winning what will be Ashton's first match with the team. But he was not in any way cowed by the bookmakers' rating.

"Any team in the championship is capable of beating any other side and we are capable of beating France. All I will say about the odds is that we are going out to win.

He said he did not know what influence the advent of Pierre Villepreux will have on French tactics. "He is an old friend of mine, but not on Saturday afternoon. It is hard to know what influence he has had. We have worked on certain aspects of the French game, but I am not going to elaborate on them." Obviously he believes there are vulnerable areas in the French side.

Ireland captain Keith Wood said that a lot of organisational work had been done. "And we are very happy with it. We had an especially good session this morning before we left for Dublin."

But Wood is aware that the only thing that matters is what happens on the field. "We have had a kick in the backside recently. We must now go out and make full use of our skills. We need a big performance and a big result and no better time to get it. I am especially pleased the match is at Lansdowne Road. We must now go out and make that work in our favour."

The Ireland manager, Pat Whelan, said the team will not do any meaningful training this morning. "We will go to Lansdowne Road but will do little, more than walk around."

The French side will not arrive in Dublin until early this afternoon and they will have a work out at the Wanderers Ground at Merrion Road at around 3.0 p.m.

. Scotland hooker Kevin McKenzie has pulled out of the team to play Wales in tomorrow's Five Nations opener at Murrayfield, but centre Gregor Townsend has shaken off a shoulder injury.

Stirling County forward McKenzie has developed a disc problem in his neck and has been withdrawn as a precaution.

McKenzie is replaced by Graham Ellis, of Currie, who steps up from the bench to win his first cap, with Steven Brotherstone (Melrose) joining the squad as replacement.

A spokesman for the Scottish Rugby Union said in a statement yesterday: "The player has received specialist advice on the best treatment options, as well as the length of time he is likely to be out of action. A further statement will be made tomorrow following public practice at Lithgow."

Townsend, who withdrew from practice on Wednesday after hurting a shoulder, took part in a full squad session yesterday.