International Roundup

France favors power over flair for World Cup

PARIS (Reuters) -- France's choice of bulldozer center Brian Liebenberg at the expense of the mercurial Thomas Castaignede may mean that French flair will be out of fashion at the World Cup.

Experience in the pack, versatility and physical power in the backline were the key words for coach Bernard Laporte before naming his Cup squad.

Always a man for a good trick, he then pulled out of his hat Brian Liebenberg, a South-African player untested at international level who had just qualified to play for France at the end of a compulsory three-year period of residency.

For team manager Jo Maso, the choice was logical.

"We have been watching Liebenberg for several months. He has got the physical power and the field-kicking ability we were looking for," he told journalists.

After playing for a year with Italian club Piacenza, the 23-year-old South African crossed the Alps in 2000 to join Grenoble and a year later the Paris Stade Francais team, who won the French championship last month.

He is 1.88 meters tall and weighs 106 kg. Add Liebenberg to Damien Traille, 1.92 m and 92 kg, Yannick Jauzion (1.93/95), Aurelien Rougerie (1.94/94), Tony Marsh (1.86/97) and Xavier Garbajosa (1.85/85) and France will take the most powerful backline in their history to Australia.

"Physical criteria were of paramount importance in our decision," admitted Maso.

'Not my style'

Liebenberg's inclusion meant the omission of Thomas Castaignede, the French star of the late 1990s who made a comeback last November, two years after his career was interrupted by an Achilles tendon injury.

The 43-cap Saracens center certainly believes his fall from grace signals a change of style.

"I'm disappointed, even furious. The choice of Liebenberg means they have decided to play a physical game and I must admit that's not my style," he was quoted as saying on the Web site of the rugby union weekly Midi Olympique.

Also omitted from the squad were Vincent Clerc and David Bory, two wings attuned to the wide and fast game that led France to its 2002 Six Nations Grand Slam.

Rougerie is the only pure wing as Laporte named three fullbacks, Clement Poitrenaud, Nicolas Brusque and Pepito Elhorga, and two utility backs, Christophe Dominici - wing and fullback - and Xavier Garbajosa - center, wing or fullback.

Laporte told journalists he was toying with the idea of naming a replacements' bench of two utility backs and five forwards during the World Cup.

In the pack, the French coach was more conservative in his selection. The squad averages 28 years of age and 29 caps. All the regulars left out of last month's southern hemisphere tour have been resinstated.

Props Jean-Jacques Crenca and Pieter de Villiers, hooker Raphael Ibanez, locks Fabien Pelous, Olivier Brouzet and David Auradou, and backrowers Olivier Magne, Serge Betsen and Imanol Harinordoquy all played in the two crunch games of the 2002 grand slam-winning campaign.

Ibanez, Pelous, Brouzet, Auradou and Magne were also members of the 1999 World Cup squad.

England thrashes Japan in rugby friendly

TOKYO (AP) -- England romped to a 37-10 victory over Japan on Thursday in an international rugby friendly.

Japan trailed 11-10 after the first 40 minutes but England erupted for a total of four tries in the second half.

Japan briefly led in the first half after winger Daisuke Ohata scored a try in the 20th minute.

England, playing with an experimental side, dominated play in the final 40 minutes at Ajinomoto Stadium, rarely giving the hosts a chance to go on the attack.

The two teams will meet again on Sunday at Tokyo's National Stadium. Japan has lost all seven previous encounters against England dating back to 1971.

Christian Cullen quits NZ to join Munster

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- Shunned by the All Blacks selectors, record tryscorer Christian Cullen has quit New Zealand rugby to join Munster.

Munster released news of the contract on its Web site, saying the Wellington fullback, who scored a national record 46 tries in 58 tests for New Zealand, had signed a three-year contract with the Irish club.

Cullen, who hasn't won selection for the All Blacks under coach John Mitchell this season, said he still hoped to be involved in the World Cup in Australia starting in October.

"I am proud of what I have achieved in the black jersey but I would love to cap off my All Blacks career by helping the boys win the World Cup," Cullen said in a statement Thursday. "I certainly haven't given up on that dream."

His move precedes Sunday's announcement of a 26-man squad All Blacks for the 2003 Tri-Nations series.

Mitchell wished Cullen well in a statement that seemed to indicate the 27-year-old flyer has no place in New Zealand's selection plans.

"You can only select so many All Blacks. He's been a very fine All Black and has served the All Blacks well," Mitchell said. "It's unfortunate that the All Black selectors have chosen that other players are better than him in the current game. He's made a choice and I wish him well."

The All Blacks selectors, in choosing teams to play England, Wales and France already this season, have indicated that Canterbury's Leon MacDonald and non-specialists Doug Howlett and Mils Muliaina are ranked ahead of Cullen.

The expected recall of Canterbury Crusaders fullback Ben Blair to the Tri-Nations squad would place Cullen fifth on the selectors' list of preferred fullbacks.

No details of Cullen's financial package were revealed but reports estimated his annual earn from Munster at 900,000 New Zealand dollars (US$535,000).

"I'm really thrilled to be coming over to play with Munster," Cullen told the Munster Web site. "I think it's a great opportunity. ... They are without question one of the best sides in Europe and I'm really looking forward to joining them."

Munster coach, Australian Alan Gaffney, said the confirmation of Cullen's signing was "wonderful news". The club had first attempted to sign Wallaby fullback Chris Latham but negotiations had broken down after the intervention of the Australian Rugby Union.

"He is truly a player of enormous stature in the world game," Gaffney said.

Cullen is expected to join Munster for the start of the next European season, although there is a clause in the contract allowing him to join New Zealand at the World Cup, if selected.

"There was never a contest about that," Gaffney told New Zealand radio. "He's got to complete his contractual obligations with the New Zealand rugby union. If he makes the World Cup (squad), he will play in the World Cup and come to Munster when his contract is completed."

Gaffney said he couldn't understand why Cullen wasn't in the All Blacks starting 15.

"I regard Christian Cullen as being one of the most outstanding players I've seen over the last 10 years. What I've seen of him recently shows he's still a top-drawer player and one who would be of benefit to any team in the world."

Cullen emerged on the world stage in the 1996 Hong Kong Sevens. His test debut was against Samoa that year, when he also became a founding player for the Wellington Hurricanes Super-12 franchise. His 58 tries in the Super 12 competition is also a record.

He is New Zealand's most-capped test fullback, playing his first 51 tests consecutively. His 46 test tries place him ahead of Jeff Wilson on New Zealand all-time list and third on the international list behind former Australia winger David Campese (64) and England wing Rory Underwood (50).

New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Chris Moller said Cullen's move was a "great loss' to New Zealand.

"We would have loved to have Christian stay in New Zealand from 2004 onwards but we understand his desire to play overseas and he goes with our best wishes," Moller said.

The Wellington Rugby Union said Cullen's continued non-selection in the All Blacks played a big part in his decision.

"Naturally we are very disappointed ... but his primary motivation, like that of all elite players in this country, was to wear the All Black jersey," Wellington union chief executive Malcolm Holmes said.

"He felt the likelihood of a recall was seemingly lost and he therefore considered his options."

 

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Both the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.