France squad selection
Trinh-Duc left out of France squad
May 15, 2013
Thierry Dusatoir will captain France on their three-Test tour of New Zealand
© Getty Images
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France will take on the All Blacks next month without five-eighth Francois Trinh-Duc after he was left out of the 35-man sqaud for the three-Test series. France coach Phillipe Saint-Andre says the 26-year-old has been rested rather than dropped. "He needs to rest after a long season," Saint-Andre told a news conference. Eddy Ben Arous, Alexandre Flanquart, Camille Lopez, Remi Tales, Adrien Plante, Daniel Kotze, Bernard Le Roux and Fijian-born Noa Nakaitaci have all earned their first call-up. Toulouse flanker Thierry Dusatoir will captain the side in the absence of Pascal Pape, the Stade Francais lock who has been sidelined since injuring his back in France's opening Six Nations defeat to Italy in February. France will begin their campaign against the reigning world champions on June 8 in Auckland before a match against the Blues on June 11 and further Test matches in Christchurch and New Plymouth.
France squad: Backs - Maxime Machenaud (Racing-Metro), Morgan Parra (Clermont), Frederic Michalak (Toulon), Camille Lopez (Bordeaux-Begles), Remi Tals (Castres), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Gael Fickou (Toulouse), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Florian Fritz (Toulouse), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon), Maxime Medard (Toulouse), Noa Nakaitaci (Clermont), Alexis Palisson (Toulon), Adrien Plant (Perpignan), Brice Dulin (Castres), Yoann Huget (Touloluse). © NZN
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