France Player Biographies

- Following are brief biographies of the French World Cup squad (ages correct at start of tournament):

JEAN-CLAUDE SKRELA (coach). Celebrates his 50th birthday on the opening day of the tournament. Won 46 caps in a legendary wing-forward partnership with Jean-Pierre Rives in the 1970s. Played for Toulouse and later coached the club, winning the French championship three times. Promised return to champagne rugby after taking charge after 1995 World Cup. Has a close partnership with assistant Pierre Villepreux, who won 35 caps between 1967 and 1972 and is another former Toulouse player. He was joint coach at the club with Skrela from 1983-1992. Linked up with Skrela as coach of France backs in 1997.

UGO MOLA. Fullback/flyhalf. Age 26. Height 1.80m. Weight 81kg. Caps: Six. Highly-talented player whose career was curtailed by a serious knee injury in a sevens match three years ago but now on verge of fulfilling potential.

EMILE NTAMACK. Centre/wing. Age 29. 1.89m. 98kg. Caps: 35. Only survivor of backline that played in 1995 World Cup. Has had good year for club and country despite France's poor performance in Five Nations. Missed most of previous season through injury.

PHILIPPE BERNAT-SALLES. Wing. Age 29. 1.81m. 79kg. Caps: 27. Blistering pace helped him become team's leading try scorer when recalled into 1998 side that won second successive Grand Slam. Lost his way last season but is retained as one of six wings in World Cup party.

XAVIER GARBAJOSA. Wing. Age 22. 1.85m. 87kg, Caps: 10. Broke into side during 1998 Grand Slam season and remained in contention throughout last Five Nations championship.

OLIVIER SARRAMEA. Wing. Age 23 (24 on October 20). 1.93m. 104kg. Caps: Four. Tall, heavily-built wing, compared by team mates to New Zealand's Jonah Lomu. Made debut against Romania in June and maintained good form during tour of South Pacific. Member of gifted Castres back division that includes Mola and flyhalf Thomas Castaignede.

JIMMY MARLU. Wing. Age 22. 1.80m. 82kg. Caps: One. Martinique-born, began playing in the Paris area, winning honours at junior level. Won his only cap on tour of Fiji two years ago but then suffered string of injuries.

CHRISTOPHE DOMINICI. Wing. Age 27. 1.73m. 81kg. Caps: Nine. A late convert to rugby from soccer at 17, he won his first cap against England in France's 1998 Grand Slam season and was one of the side's few successes last season.

CHRISTOPHE LAMAISON. Centre. Age 28. 1.80m. 90kg. Caps: 22. Can also play at flyhalf. Only weakness is lack of pace. His goalkicking helped France to win successive Grand Slams in 1997 and 1998 and his club Brive to reach successive European Cup finals.

STEPHANE GLAS. Centre. Age 25. 1.79m. 85kg. Caps: 27. The best Frenchman in a department dominated by foreigners in the local championship, one of the reasons given for France's recent decline. Missed this year's Five Nations through injury. Tough tackler, always at his best in hard matches. Taken time to recover from collar bone injury which forced him out of the French championship final last season.

RICHARD DOURTHE. Centre. Age 24. 1.88m. 94kg. Caps: 16. Forms France's best centre pairing with Glas but has suspect shoulder and also missed most of last Five Nations tournament through injury, coming off after only four minutes in upset defeat by Wales in Paris. Apparently reformed character, whose hot temper led to suspension after stamping incident against England in 1996. Son of former international Claude, also a centre.

CEDRIC DESBROSSE. Centre. Age 27. 1.90m. 95kg. Uncapped. Newly-recruited sevens international who helped Toulouse win French championship in first season with club after spell in second division with Givors.

THOMAS CASTAIGNEDE. Flyhalf. Age 24. 1.75m. 80kg. Caps: 30. An automatic selection and arguably the world's best. Supremely gifted, mercurial number 10 who, however, has won more caps as a centre. Went off the boil last season after playing major part in successive Grand slams. Working hard to recover form and confidence in time for World Cup. Shares goalkicking with Lamaison.

PIERRE MIGNONI. Scrumhalf. Age 22. 1.69m. 69kg. Caps: Six. Learnt the trade with former France great Jerome Gallion at Toulon. Picked as an understudy, suddenly finds himself as first choice after Philippe Carbonneau withdrew with a knee injury. Big responsibility in a position which has caused France major problems since the 1987 World Cup and Pierre Berbizier.

STEPHANE CASTAIGNEDE. Scrumhalf. Age 29. 1.70m. 70kg. Caps: One. Sports teacher. Surprise last-minute choice as cover for Carbonneau, snatching berth from 1995 World Cup veteran Fabien Galthie. Failed to shine on debut against Wales and was replaced.

THOMAS LIEVREMONT. Number eight. Age 25. 1.88m. 108kg. Caps: 14. Powerful player who replaced injured Abdel Benazzi in 1998, going on to make the position his own. Belongs to a family dynasty, with seven brothers playing rugby, four of them in the French first division including fellow international Marc.

CHRISTOPHE JUILLET. Flanker. Age 30. 1.91m. 110kg. Caps: Six. Helped Stade Francais win club title in 1998 after spending most of career at Montferrand. Has had a chequered career, with two caps in Latin Cup in Argentina in 1995 before being recalled this year and appearing twice during four-match south Pacific tour.

ARNAUD COSTES. Flanker. Age 26. 1.86m. 98kg. Caps: Seven. Son of former Montferrand international and coach Gerard. One of four forwards remaining from 1995 World Cup, where he made one appearance in the first round against Ivory Coast. Recalled for June tour of southern Pacific after being overlooked since 1997.

OLIVIER MAGNE. Flanker. Age 26. 1.88m. 95kg. Caps: 23. Superb back row forward with the skills of a back. Broke into 1997 Grand Slam team when Philippe Benetton was injured. Sorely missed in this year's championship because of injury.

MARC LIEVREMONT. Flanker. Age 30 (31 on October 28). 1.82m. 88kg. Caps: 19. Oldest of seven rugby-playing brothers. Joined Thomas against Scotland in February 1998 to form first pair of brothers to start for France team since Walter and Claude Spanghero in early 1970s. Often a replacement since his 1995 debut, he is now an automatic first choice.

LIONEL MALLIER. Flanker. Age 25. 1.84m. 100kg. Caps: Two Heavily-built forward who has spent more time on the bench than the pitch at club level since leaving Grenoble for Brive last season. Impressed with his strength when called up by France against Romania in June.

ABDELATIF BENAZZI. Lock. Age 30. 1.97m. 112kg. Caps: 64. Public relations officer. The undisputed leader of French pack for years, the Moroccan-born former national captain has secured his place at lock since his return from injury last season after starting his career as a flanker. Only player in the squad taking part in a third World Cup. Brought down inches short of a match-winning try in the 1995 semifinal against South Africa.

DAVID AURADOU. Lock. Age 25. 2.01m. 105kg. Caps: Five. Northerner who began playing at Le Havre, then spent time with southern clubs including Cahors before returning north to Paris to help Stade Francais win title. One of the few successes of the June tour to the south Pacific.

FABIEN PELOUS. Lock. Age 25. 1.98m. 110kg. Caps: 43. Towering, physical player who emerged as number eight with Dax but has won international recognition as lock since moving to Toulouse three seasons ago.

OLIVIER BROUZET. Lock. Age 26. 2.04m. 119kg. Caps: 33. Company manager. Son of a former French shot put record holder, started his sports career as an athlete before turning to rugby. Gradually improved his skills to match his physique. Formed an awesome second row with giant Olivier Merle when at Grenoble. Made three appearances in 1995 World Cup.

FRANCK TOURNAIRE. Prop. Age 26. 1.81m. 114kg. Caps: 37. Career blossomed when he linked up with more experienced Christian Califano in both Toulouse and French front rows. Looks up to his team mate as the best in the business.

CHRISTIAN CALIFANO. Prop. Age 27. 1.80m. 110kg. Caps: 47. Remarkable player in the tradition of Pascal Ondarts, Jean-Paul Garuet and Laurent Seigne and long regarded one of the world's best. Was first choice in his position by the 1995 World Cup and only injury has kept him out of team since.

CEDRIC SOULETTE. Prop. Age 27. 1.84m. 108kg. Caps: eight. Back in squad after serious ankle ligament injury during training a year ago and surgery in January. Was not picked for June tour of south Pacific but impressed selectors with fine performances on French Barbarians' trip to Argentina.

PIETER DE VILLIERS. Age 27. 1.84m. 105kg. Caps: One. South African-born player whose ancestors left La Rochelle for South Africa 250 years ago. A former Stellenbosch and Western Province under-21 forward, has played in France since 1995.

MARC DAL MASO. Hooker. Age 32. 1.80m. 100kg. Caps: 23. Farmer. Was first choice until Raphael Ibanez was named captain in revamped side following France's humiliating defeat by South Africa in November 1997 but has hung on as understudy thanks to speed and skill with the ball. Once came on in a Five Nations match as a winger because of lack of subs.

RAPHAEL IBANEZ (captain). Hooker. Age 26. 1.78m. 96kg. Caps: 25. Named captain for 1998 Five Nations after only playing one full game for France, celebrated by leading side to second successive Grand Slam. Natural leader who captained French Universities to world title in South Africa in July 1996. Retained confidence of selectors despite France's poor start to 1999.

Reuters contributed to this report.