Marc Lievremont has denied that he is looking for added experience this weekend © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

News: Cueto hails influence of Ashton and Foden

News: Leonard: England will ignore mind games

News: Moody set to miss France clash

News: Sheridan handed England recall

News: Wood demands England discipline

News: France drop Parra and Traille

News: Smith hails 'Wilkinson effect'

News: Johnson shrugs off Lievremont word games

News: Lievremont: 'We don't like the English'

Players/Officials: Marc Lievremont

Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations

Teams: England | France

France coach Marc Lievremont has insisted that the changes made to his side for Saturday's Six Nations showdown with England are based on squad rotation.

Lievremont has axed regulars Morgan Parra, Damien Traille and Julien Bonnaire as well as dropping Clement Poitrenaud from a reshuffled back-three, calling in Sebastien Chabal, Vincent Clerc, Dimitri Yachvili and Yannick Jauzion. Maxime Medard switches to fullback but is a doubt due to a thigh injury.

The former flanker has dismissed suggestions that he is searching for greater experience in his squad.

"Not really. That wasn't the specific aim," he said. "We wanted to shake up the group. We're putting out the same three-quarters that finished in Ireland so there's a form of continuity.

"Lads like Vincent Clerc and Yannick Jauzion are champing at the bit. It's normal to involve them by giving them a boost. Against anyone we would have involved replacements who were on the bench the first two games. We wanted to have a more balanced bench.

"Against Scotland and Ireland, Jerome Thion and Sebastien Chabal, who are powerful players, came on during the game. We're going to involve one from the start. Above all we wanted to reward the replacements while sending out a competitive team.

"We wanted to have an offensive trio available because you can have the idea that it's going to be a fast game. Maxime Medard will be surrounded by Yohann Huget and Vincent Clerc. In the scrum, Dimitri Yachvili has been replacement for a little bit. It's good to involve him again."

Yachvili has traditionally performed well against England but Lievremont denied that was behind his inclusion on this occasion.

"He has shone against England but I think he has also had less successful performances against this team," he said. "What matters is that he is full of confidence right now."