Chabal left out as Lièvremont tests newcomers

Sebastien Chabal was left out of France's 30-man squad named by Marc Lièvremont yesterday for next month's Test matches in South Africa and Argentina.

Lièvremont called up two newcomers, the 21-year-old back-rower Wenceslas Lauret, who plays club rugby with the Heineken Cup finalists Biarritz, and the Perpignan full-back Jérôme Porical. "There are some noteworthy absences due to the need to manage the weariness of some players who played a lot of games during the season," the France coach said. "I'm referring to [hooker] Williams Servat, who has not stopped playing for three seasons at the highest level, or Sébastien Chabal, who is recovering from a back injury."

The backbone of the squad comes from the team that completed a Six Nations Grand Slam. Lièvremont also handed a chance to players who missed the European season through injury, such as the prop Fabien Barcella, lock Romain Millo-Chluski, No 8 Louis Picamoles, fly-half David Skrela and centre Maxime Mermoz.

The France coach said he had omitted four players, the flankers Fulgence Ouedrago and Antoine Burban, fly-half Fabrice Estebanez and wing Alexis Palisson, because they refused to play in the London Sevens tournament at the weekend. "It's a big disappointment because they had given their word they would play and one doesn't go back on his word. It's a temporary sanction but we had to react," he added.

Peter de Villiers has given his full backing to South Africa's management team following a pre-season workshop in Cape Town, ending speculation that some of his support staff could be replaced.

Last month the Mercury newspaper carried an interview with the Springbok coach in which he questioned some of the backing given to him since he began his tenure in 2008. He did not mention any names, but the report suggested that the forwards coach, Gary Gold, may have been in danger of being axed.

But after a two-day session this week, De Villiers indicated yesterday he was happy with the current set-up. "Every member of my management team has committed themselves to achieving success in their respective area of responsibility," he said. "It was a very good session. I am reassured that we are on the right track and that I have the 100 per cent backing of my management team."