Battered France make big changes

Betsen turned down a move to Leicester last year

France coach Bernard Laporte has made seven changes to the side that suffered a humiliating 47-3 defeat to the All Blacks last Saturday in Lyon.

Veteran hooker Raphael Ibanez replaces Dimitri Szarzewski and takes over as captain from the injured Fabien Pelous.

Olivier Milloud replaces prop Sylvain Marconnet, while flanker Remy Martin starts instead of Thierry Dusautoir.

Jean-Baptiste Elissalde comes in for Dimitri Yachvili at scrum-half, while Cedric Heymans starts on the wing.

Veteran flanker Serge Betsen also returns on the replacements bench.

Team manager Jo Maso admitted the changes were made in the light of some navel-gazing by the management themselves.

"We've learned our lessons from the crushing defeat in the first Test," he said.

"But it has also forced us to look at the role we played in that, too. Maybe we weren't up to the task either. Maybe we failed to play our role."

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France: Elhorga; Rougerie, Fritz, Jauzion, Heymans; Traille, Elissalde; Miloud, Ibanez (capt), de Villiers, Nallet, Pape, Bonnaire, Martin, Vermeulen.
Replacements: Szarzewski, Marconnet, Jacquet, Betsen, Yachvili, Marty, Dominici.