RugbyU: Noves Stays Loyal To French Winners Against Samoa

TOULOUSE, France, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Nov, 2016 ) - France coach Guy Noves has backed continuity as his team bid to extend their winning streak over Samoa to four when they clash on Saturday.

With the exception of Baptiste Serin, who missed out to Maxime Machenaud at scrum-half, Noves has plumped for the heart of the France team that routed Argentina 27-0 in the second Test of the summer Tour to South America.

Seven of the starting forwards from that impressive victory over the Pumas in Tucuman will play at Toulouse's Muncipal Stadium. Led by hooker Guilhem Guirado, there were few doubts about naming Jefferson Poirot at prop in the absence of Eddy Ben Arous, while veteran lock Yoann Maestri and No 8 Louis Picamoles form the backbone of a formidable pack.

"We're trying to work in a continuous manner," the coach said, with games against Australia and New Zealand to follow. "Those players (present in Argentina) made efforts, it's normal to reward them, to show them this confidence they showed us is a two-way thing.

"There's a form of cohesion which has been found and we want to see if they're capable of repeating that type of performance.

" Noves picked Francois Trinh-Duc to accompany Machenaud at half-back, with utility player Jean-Marc Doussain named on the bench.

Behind Trinh-Duc, who has been indifferent for Toulon since signing last season from Montpellier, there is only one player who toured Argentina, Remi Lamerat, who will join up in midfield with Clermont teammate Wesley Fofana.

The latter finally finds his true position having been named on the wing for two Six Nations games last season before being injured. The back-three sees the recall of Yoann Huget, injured in the first match of the Rugby World Cup, alongside Fiji-born Virimi Vakatawa and naturalised South African Scott Spedding.

Samoa coach Alama Ieremia, a former All Blacks centre, said the game against France was about rebuilding after a disappointing World Cup. Samoa beat the United States but then lost to South Africa, Japan and Scotland. "We are trying to rebuild and move forward. In the November Test matches we have an opportunity to play tier 1 countries like France," said Ieremia.