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France ring changes before Ireland game

France coach Bernard Laporte and team manager Jo Maso
France coach Bernard Laporte and team manager Jo Maso

Watch France v Ireland live on RTÉ TWO from 12.55pm on Saturday.

France have called up six extra players, all of them of the highest international pedigree, to prepare for their Six Nations championship match against Ireland at the Stade de France on Saturday.

Team manager Jo Maso said on Monday that hooker Raphael Ibanez, lock Pascal Pape, flankers Serge Betsen and Olivier Magne, centre Damien Traille and winger Aurelien Rougerie were summoned to join the squad on Monday.

France, who slumped to a 20-16 defeat to Scotland in their opening match on Sunday, are expected to return to their Marcoussis training headquarters by the end of the day.

The team announcement scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed to Thursday, Maso said.

The France squad to play Ireland in RBS Six Nations Championship in Paris on February 11:

Backs: N Brusque (Biarritz), A Rougerie (Clermont Auvergne), C Dominici (Stade Francais), C Heymans (Toulouse), G Bousses (Bourgoin), L Valbon (Brive), F Fritz (Toulouse), D Traille (Biarritz), B Boyet (Bourgoin), F Michalak (Toulouse), D Yachvili (Biarritz), J-B Elissalde (Toulouse).

Forwards: S Marconnet (Stade Francais), P De Villiers (Stade Francais), O Milloud (Bourgoin), D Szarzewski (Stade Francais), S Bruno (Sale), R Ibanez (Wasps), P Pape (Bourgoin), J Thion (Biarritz), F Pelous (Toulouse), L Nallet (Castres), O Magne (London Irish), S Betsen (Biarritz), Y Nyanga (Toulouse), J Bonnaire (Bourgoin), R Martin (Stade Francais), T Lievremont (Biarritz).

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