Rugby: rance call up Aucagne

Injuries have once again forced the French selectors to reshuffle their team for Saturday's Five Nations' Championship Grand Slam decider against Scotland at Parc des Princes.

France, who have been without several key players in all their matches so far in the tournament, have lost both their half-backs and one prop since beating England 23-20 at Twickenham two weeks ago.

The Pau stand-off, David Aucagne, takes over from the injured Alain Penaud while Guy Accoceberry replaces Penaud's Brive team-mate Philippe Carbonneau at scrum-half in the side announced yesterday by Jean-Claude Skrela.

Penaud has a pulled thigh muscle while the first-choice No 9, Carbonneau, is recovering from a twisted ankle and will start as a substitute.

The Brive prop, Didier Casadei, wins his first cap in place of Christian Califano, who was automatically suspended after being sent off for punching an opponent in a league game at the weekend. "Casadei has proved that he had international class by helping Brive win the European Cup," Skrela said. "He's the same type of player as Califano and he should fit in without any problems."

FRANCE (v Scotland, Parc des Princes, Saturday): J-L Sadourny; L Leflamand, C Lamaison, S Glas, D Venditti; D Aucagne, G Accoceberry; F Pelous, O Magne, A Benazzi (capt), H Miorin, O Merle, F Tournaire, M Dal Maso, D Casadei. Replacements: P Bonduy, U Mola, P Carbonneau, R Castel, J-L Jordana, M de Rougemont.

Stewards at the National Stadium will prevent souvenir hunters digging up pieces of the turf at the end of Saturday's Five Nations match between Wales and England at Cardiff Arms Park. A Welsh Rugby Union spokesman said: "We are telling the stewards to be extra vigilant because there are still two important matches to be staged at the ground before it is redeveloped."