Laporte on the defensive again

Bernard Laporte's decision to field a somewhat experimental side for France's opening game of their Six Nations campaign against Italy in Rome tomorrow has come under fire from various quarters, but the French coach does not want to leave anything to chance in a World Cup year.

France host the 2007 World Cup later this year and though Laporte has previously stated that 20 of the 30 places are already taken, his side for the clash in the Stadio Flaminio this weekend suggests otherwise.

Laporte chose David Skrela at outhalf for tomorrow's game despite the fact that the Stade Francais player has not won an international cap for six years.  The spine of his team is manned by players returning from the wilderness, with scrumhalf Pierre Mignoni, number eight Sebastien Chabal and fullback Clement Poitrenaud under scrutiny this weekend

"We don't want to have any regrets," said Laporte today. "We want to be able to go to the players, look into the eyes of all those who want a place in the (World Cup) squad, and tell them they had a chance to prove themselves. Then the time will come to choose."

"Of course we want to win these games - when a team like France enters a tournament, they aim to win it," he added. "But the important thing is to try out as many players as possible.

"We are using the Six Nations to put the finishing touches to our plans."

"To have a backbone means having several experienced players at hooker, number eight, scrumhalf, outhalf and fullback," says Laporte. "But it doesn't mean the same player has to play all the games."

Laporte's hand has been forced by a plethora of injuries to key players.  He is without his captain Fabien Pelous, outhalf Frederic Michalak and centre Damien Traille, who are all injured, but the absentees will not appease the French public if it all goes wrong tomorrow.

Toothless defeats to New Zealand in the autumn and no discernible shape to squad as yet in the biggest year of his reign, may leave him with few sympathisers in France, or even Italy.

He will certainly not find comfort from his opposite number Pierre Berbizier, who as a former France international has openly questioned Laporte's credentials to lead the side in the World Cup.