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Wallabies lick wounds France welcomes Castaignede, loses MarshPosted: Monday November 04, 2002 2:35 PMLINAS-MARCOUSSIS, France (Reuters) -- The French rugby union team celebrated the return of their sparkling star of the late 1990s Thomas Castaignede on Monday but lost center Tony Marsh for their tests against South Africa and New Zealand. "Marsh has not recovered from a lasting groin injury and he's had to pull out," team manager Jo Maso said. "He needs three weeks to a month's rest, if not more. Xavier Garbajosa has been called up as a replacement. He will join the team as soon as possible," he added. New Zealand-born Marsh, who plays his club rugby for Montferrand, first played for France during last year's November tour when they defeated South Africa and world champions Australia. He also played a major part in their 2002 Six Nations Grand Slam and would have been first-choice for their internationals against the Springboks on Saturday in Marseille, and the All Blacks and Canada the two following weekends at the Stade de France. "To lose Tony is a big blow," French coach Bernard Laporte said. "But his withdrawal will allow other players to show their worth and maybe it's not a bad thing with a World Cup in sight. We have several solutions. Thomas Castaignede is back and Xavier Garbajosa will join us tomorrow. We can rely on them," he added. 'Toast of the day' The 26-year-old Garbajosa from Toulouse was a French XV regular until he suffered a serious shoulder injury. He won the last of his 23 caps when France defeated Wales in Cardiff last February. Garbajosa will be in competition with Castaignede for a berth in Saturday's starting line-up which is expected to be announced on Tuesday. Castaignede was the toast of the day at the new French National Rugby Center where he arrived from London on Monday after being called up to replace injured utility back Clement Poitrenaud. The Saracens player made an emotional return two years to the day after his career was halted when he snapped an Achilles tendon 15 minutes before the kickoff of an international against world champions Australia at the Stade de France. "The date of November 4 2000 will be indelibly printed on my mind and so will be November 4 2002," he told reporters. "To be back in action is a dream come true. It was sometimes difficult to believe I would play again." After his injury Castaignede needed four operations and 18 months to recover, making his return for his English club side Saracens in May. 'On a motorway' He was operated on by Gerard Saillant, the Paris surgeon who restored Brazil's Ronaldo to top-level football. "Before my fourth operation, I told him my life was in his hands and I have the feeling he has worked a miracle," he said. "I had to go step by step, walking, running, playing... But physically I came back very quickly, I was surprised actually, and mentally I'm ready." During his brief period of splendor before the injury, the player nicknamed "the Little Prince" by French media won 34 caps and scored 222 points and 13 tries. Regarded as a supremely gifted, mercurial number 10, arguably the world's best, a rugby romantic who encapsulated French flair, he was elected European player of the Year in 1998 after steering France to their first back-to-back Grand Slams. "That's the past. I'm back to square one," he said on Monday. "I don't know if I'm going to play on Saturday. Selectors will decide. Give me time to settle down. Things are going so fast that I feel as if I was going full speed on a motorway without any traffic to slow me down." Australians lick wounds after spiteful Argentina testSYDNEY (Reuters) -- The Wallabies said on Monday they would fly two replacement players to Dublin for Saturday's match against Ireland following their spiteful test against Argentina. Hooker Brendan Cannon and winger Mark Bartholomeusz will fly out of Sydney on Monday to join the Wallabies in Dublin, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) said. "Cannon has been called into the squad after Jeremy Paul aggravated a hamstring injury during the weekend's test against Argentina, while Bartholomeusz replaces Ben Tune who pulled a hamstring 15 minutes into the game," the ARU said in a statement released on Monday. Wallaby backs Matt Burke, who has a leg injury, and Mat Rogers, who suffered rib cartilage damage, were also in doubt for the test against Ireland, the ARU said. Flankers Owen Finegan (ankle) and David Lyons (thigh), who missed Australia's 17-6 win over the Pumas because of injury, were expected to be fit to play against Ireland, the Wallabies said. "This was a very hard match so we're satisfied with the win," Wallaby coach Eddie Jones said. "But we are disappointed with the way Argentina played and their tactic of playing the man and not the ball." Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper ran a main back-page headline "DISGRACEFUL" with a kicker heading "Wallabies spat on, kicked and gouged" to describe the match. Flanker Matt Cockbain complained of being eye-gouged. Toutai Kefu and Paul also made accusations of unfair play against the Pumas. "It has to be up there with the worst test for that sort of stuff that I've played in," Paul was quoted by the newspaper as saying. Argentina scrumhalf Agustin Pichot responded angrily to the claims by the touring side. "We play aggressively but Australia came here to play negatively," Pichot was quoted as saying. "And they are cheats. They constantly pull your shirt and step on you and they do it in a very professional way." The Australian newspaper said on Monday the Buenos Aires test was the dirtiest match the Wallabies had played since captain John Eales threatened to lead his team from the field during the 1999 World Cup final against France in Cardiff. The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper said the Wallabies had complained about several unsavory incidents including "forwards Matt Cockbain and Adam Freier being blatantly eye-gouged." Australia will also play tests against England (November 16) and Italy (November 23) on their November tour. Three Romanians doubtful for Scotland ABUCHAREST (Reuters) -- Romania's number eight Ovidiu Tonita and lock Sorin Socol are injured while center Gabriel Brezoianu is sick and they all are doubtful for Tuesday's match against Scotland A in Aberdeen, a team spokesman said on Monday. "Socol suffered a serious blow to his shoulder while Tonita twisted his left ankle during last week's international against Wales," spokesman Florin Cimpeanu told Reuters. Cimpeanu said center Gabriel Brezoianu of Begles Bordeaux has a cold and he is also doubtful for the match. "Romania would name a team just hours before the [match] start because lots of doubtful players," said Cimpeanu. Romania lost 40-3 against Wales in Wrexham on Friday, the first game of a three-match tour of Britain. Romania also face Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday. Cimpeanu said five extra players would strengthen the Romanian squad for the matches in Scotland. Flankers Petru Balan and Alexandru Manta, back Lucian Sirbu and hooker Marius Tincu -- all first choice players -- had to appear for their clubs in the French championship at the weekend but have now joined the squad in Aberdeen. Also added to the squad is forward Stefan Dragnea from the French team Valence.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
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